Directory listing — not editorial research

Jewish Day Schools in Santa Monica, California (1 school)

Jewish schools in Santa Monica, California: 1 in our directory, part of 105 across California. This is a directory listing, not editorial research — we publish what public records show, nothing more. Our matching quiz handles the harder question of which school fits your family.

1 early childhood

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Schools in Santa Monica, by level

Scroll to the level that matches your child’s age. Within each level, schools are grouped by whether they serve boys, girls, or co-ed classes.

Early Childhood (Preschool & Kindergarten) · 1 school

Programs serving preschool and kindergarten-age children, often as standalone early childhood centers or the youngest grades of a larger school.

Gan Israel Preschool S. Monica

Preschool

Public record

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What to consider when evaluating a Jewish day school

Choosing a Jewish day school involves more than convenience. Families typically weigh religious orientation, academic rigor, tuition affordability, and the specific grade range a school serves. Posted tuition is rarely what most families actually pay — almost every Jewish day school has a financial aid program, and many families in the community receive meaningful assistance through need-based aid, scholarship funds, state vouchers or education savings accounts, or staff tuition benefits if a parent works at the school. Our long-form piece on yeshiva day school tuition breaks down the three funding engines behind most Jewish day schools.

About Jewish education in California

California is home to a large and diverse set of Jewish day schools, clustered primarily in the Los Angeles area and Silicon Valley, with additional schools in San Diego, Oakland, and Sacramento. The state spans Modern Orthodox, yeshivish, Conservative, pluralistic, and Chabad traditions. California does not currently operate a statewide school voucher or ESA program.

Other cities in California with Jewish schools

Los Angeles (44) · San Diego (9) · San Francisco (6) · Valley Village (5) · Beverly Hills (3) · La Jolla (3)

Common questions about Jewish day schools in Santa Monica, California

What's the difference between a Jewish day school and a yeshiva?

Both teach a dual curriculum combining Judaic studies with general academic subjects, but "yeshiva" typically refers to schools in the yeshivish or Orthodox tradition with a heavier Torah-study focus. "Jewish day school" is the broader umbrella. See our guide to how Jewish schools differ.

Do we need to be religious to send our children?

No. Many Jewish day schools — particularly community and pluralistic schools, Conservative-movement schools, and Modern Orthodox schools that accept all affiliations — serve families across the full observance spectrum. Some schools require synagogue membership or minimum observance; most don't.

Is the posted tuition what we'll actually pay?

Usually not. Almost every Jewish day school has a financial aid program, and the "collected average" tuition across the cohort is typically 30–40% below the posted rate. Our analysis of how yeshiva tuition really works walks through the three funding engines — staff benefits, tuition committee assessments, and donor underwriting — using IRS 990 data from 98 schools.

How do we pick the right school for our family?

The practical fit factors are grade range, religious orientation (hashkafa), community character, distance from home, and what the tuition actually comes to after aid. Our matching quiz asks about each of these in about five minutes and produces a shortlist of schools that fit your family specifically.

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Answer five questions about your child's grade, your location, and your community preferences — we'll show you the schools that match in Santa Monica, California.

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