1946

Temple Beth Hillel was the first reform congregation in the San Fernando Valley. The inaugural Shabbat service for Temple Beth Hillel took place on December 11, 1946. By 1950, the congregation built its first building, and the sanctuary we enjoy today was dedicated in 1956.

Our preschool was initially established as a co-op in 1950. In 1975, it officially became part of the temple, and a full-time director was hired. In 1989, Rabbi Jim Kaufman spearheaded an effort to establish the first-ever Reform Jewish Day School in the San Fernando Valley. Faith Tessler joined in that effort as the founding chairperson of the Beth Hillel Day School Committee. Rabbi Jim and Rabbi Faith approached Leonard and Naomi Feldman who agreed to underwrite the creation of Beth Hillel Day School. Because of their generous support, the school is dedicated in their honor.

1994

The Day School school started with one Kindergarten class in 1994 and has continued to grow and thrive ever since. By 2004, Beth Hillel Day School had received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Bureau of Jewish Education of Greater Los Angeles (BJE). The accrediting WASC Committee commended us for providing “a rich, challenging and diverse program across all subject areas.”

Today

Beth Hillel Day School is a thriving part of the community at Temple Beth Hillel. In the most recent accreditation visit, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges’ visiting committee stated that they “could feel the joyfulness that students experience in the classroom, the engagement that teachers feel in their work and the satisfaction that parents feel with the school.”