Bender Early Childhood Center

05/19/2026

Thank you to the Ariel Quartet for performing for our preschoolers!🎻 We loved learning about classical music and listening to live music up close!🎶

05/07/2026

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to our amazing Bender ECC Preschool teachers!🍎

Our incredible team of early childhood educators work tirelessly to create a nurturing, and inclusive environment for every child in our preschool. We want to say Toda Rabah (thank you) for creating an educational and playful environment for the preschoolers to experience everyday!

05/05/2026

We loved having everyone join us for the ECC family Shabbat! Lots of singing, dancing, jumping, and fun together❣️

04/26/2026

Friday, April 24 was ECC Grandparents and Special Friends Day!💓

We had Shabbat Singing in the Kreeger Auditorium, Shabbat Activities in the Classrooms and a Brunch for the Grandparents & Special Friends and a presentation/activity with the Capital Jewish Museum!

It was so special to welcome family members and friends into the ECC and have this shared experience together as a community.

04/23/2026

Last week was D.E.A.R. Week at the ECC!📚

D.E.A.R. stands for "Drop Everything and Read." To celebrate, Bender JCC staff members came to visit and read a story to a class!📖

04/17/2026

We’re proud to share that Washington Jewish Week is featuring our ECC Director, Alex Band.

In the article, Alex shares her experience growing up and working in the JCC movement and how the Bender ECC preschoolers create meaningful connections around our center every day and how that builds a strong Jewish foundation early on.

Read the full profile here: https://www.washingtonjewishweek.com/potomacs-alex-band-creates-strong-jewish-foundations-through-bender-early-childhood-center/

04/06/2026

03/20/2026

As our children knead, roll, and shape dough for challah, they’re strengthening fine motor skills, building hand muscles, and developing coordination through meaningful, hands-on play.

There’s something so special about learning that feels this joyful (and smells this delicious!) Shabbat Shalom!

03/13/2026

Shabbat Shalom from the Bender ECC!
Here are our preschoolers enjoying the warm spring weather on Wednesday🌸🫧

02/20/2026

02/09/2026

February is Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month (JDAIM), a time to reflect on what it means to build a community where everyone belongs.

At the Bender JCC, inclusion is an ongoing commitment that continues to grow and evolve across our programs, spaces, and experiences. Our special edition program guide highlights the people, stories, and efforts shaping that work every day.

We continue with reflections from Rachel Assal-Albert, Developmental Support Coordinator, Bender ECC, who shares how nurturing joyful and succesful children creates a preschool where inclusion matters.

Visit www.benderjccgw.org/YouBelong, to learn more.