Shalom Children’s Center is a Five‑Star, NC‑licensed early childhood program serving approximately 120 families with children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Our year‑round, full‑time program celebrates Jewish traditions and teaches universal values through a Jewish lens. We proudly serve both the Jewish community and the greater Asheville community, welcoming families of all backgrounds into a nurturing, inclusive environment.
Closing at 1 PM for Rosh Hashanah
Closed for Yom Kippur
Sukkot Family Festival
Closed for Thanksgiving
2026-2027 Enrollment
Shalom enrollment packets for the 2026-2027 academic year were sent out Friday, June 12. Please contact Childcare Enrollment Coordinator, Jessie Phillips, with any questions.
Unique Offerings
Shalom Children’s Center provides rich, hands‑on experiences that help children learn, grow, and explore the world around them. Our garden curriculum invites children to dig, plant, observe, and care for the natural world. As they tend our educational garden, children build pollinator habitats, witness full growth cycles, and develop curiosity, responsibility, and a lifelong appreciation for nature.
Children ages 3–5 also participate in swimming, where they learn essential water‑safety and swimming skills. These sessions help children build confidence, coordination, and comfort in the water—all within a safe, supportive environment.
In addition, children enjoy Movement with Miri, where they explore activities that encourage them to move their bodies, develop physical coordination, strengthen gross‑motor skills, and build cognitive skills through memory and focus. Movement also supports social‑emotional development and self‑regulation. Children also participate in weekly music classes with Ms. Jenna, giving them opportunities to express themselves physically and creatively.
Together, these experiences support children’s development and readiness for kindergarten while ensuring that their time at Shalom is positive, engaging, dynamic, and—most importantly—Simcha (Joy)!
Curriculum
Our educational approach draws from the Sheva Early Learning Framework, Reggio Emilia, and Conscious Discipline, all grounded in North Carolina’s Foundations for Early Learning and Development.
Classrooms are intentionally designed to support growth across all developmental domains—cognitive, social, emotional, and physical.
Daily experiences include circle time, where children build social connections and a sense of community; play‑based learning centers that spark creativity, problem‑solving, and independent thinking; and active outdoor play that strengthens gross motor skills, encourages exploration, and promotes overall well‑being.
Hilde’s House honors her spirit by offering a warm, inviting, home‑based environment for our youngest children. Our dedicated caregivers focus on each child’s unique needs, supporting a smooth and loving transition from home to school. We prioritize strong, trusting relationships with families so every baby receives the highest quality of care.
Teachers
Our qualified teachers encourage children to take an active role in their learning, guided by their unique developmental needs, interests, and emerging identities. With enhanced teacher‑to‑child ratios, children benefit from more individualized attention, deeper relationships, and a calmer classroom environment.
Teachers foster each child’s developmental growth through personalized, one‑on‑one interactions that honor their individual interests and pace of learning. Through a thoughtful balance of free play and teacher‑guided experiences, babies and toddlers begin to explore the world around them. They develop early social skills, discover their emerging abilities, and build meaningful connections with peers and caregivers—all within a nurturing space rooted in Hilde’s legacy of care.
Hilde’s House
Hilde Cohen Hoffman, a beloved former teacher at the Asheville JCC, was a woman of deep compassion and quick humor who grew up in Leipzig, Germany. Years later, Hilde made her home in the mountains of North Carolina, where she cared for generations of children at the Asheville JCC. Though she is no longer with us, her legacy of love, curiosity, and unwavering dedication continues to inspire every classroom at Shalom Children’s Center. (Click here to learn more-This will connect to interviews in UNCA Archives)
Hilde’s House honors her spirit by offering a warm, inviting, home‑based environment for our youngest children. Our dedicated caregivers focus on each child’s unique needs, supporting a smooth and loving transition from home to school. We prioritize strong, trusting relationships with families so every baby receives the highest quality of care.
Through a Jewish Lens
While you do not have to be Jewish to attend the JCC, hands-on activities and lessons that incorporate universal values through a Jewish lens are a core part of our program. Students celebrate and learn about Jewish holidays, observe traditions, and explore elements of Jewish culture. Each Friday, students gather with their pods to sing songs, hear prayers, and celebrate Shabbat. Once a month, Family Shabbat opens the classroom to family and friends, inviting them to share in this special time with our community.
Important Links
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We offer a daily quiet‑rest period from 1:00–3:00 PM. During this time, each classroom creates a calm, soothing environment that supports children in resting their bodies and minds. Lights are lowered, sound machines are used to create gentle white noise, and children settle onto their rest cots.
For the first hour, all children remain on their cots to give their bodies a chance to relax and fall asleep. After the first hour, if a child is awake, they may engage with quiet activities such as books or soft, quiet toys while still respecting the restful atmosphere for their sleeping friends.
Please note: We do not accept naptime waivers, as rest time is an important part of our daily rhythm and supports children’s regulation, growth, and well‑being.
At Shalom, we prepare children for kindergarten by integrating early academics into a rich, play‑based curriculum. Our Reggio‑inspired approach prioritizes exploration, creativity, and process, while naturally weaving in kindergarten‑readiness skills such as early literacy, numeracy, problem‑solving, and fine‑motor development.
Children practice recognizing letters, numbers, and patterns through meaningful play rather than worksheets. Just as importantly, they learn how to be part of a community — following routines, building independence, collaborating with peers, and navigating expectations with confidence. These social‑emotional foundations are what truly set children up for success in kindergarten and beyond.
We are a vegetarian, kosher/dairy school, and all food brought from home must follow our food policy. Families may pack fruits, vegetables, dairy items, grains, and plant‑based proteins. Some types of fish are permitted. To make this easy, we provide families with clear guidelines and sample snack and lunch ideas that align with our standards.
Some classrooms may also have additional dietary restrictions due to food allergies. Teachers will communicate any classroom‑specific guidelines so that all children remain safe.
Each Friday, children enjoy locally made challah as part of our Shabbat celebration, which is a cherished part of our weekly offerings.
The only exception to our vegetarian, kosher/dairy policy is Hilde’s House, our infant and toddler program. Due to licensing requirements for our 5‑star care, Hilde’s House follows separate food guidelines appropriate for infants and young toddlers.
The JCC follows the cues of the children, partnering closely with families throughout the potty‑training process. We do ask that parents and guardians begin the process at home first, where children are most comfortable and routines can be introduced consistently. Once a child shows readiness and has started at home, Shalom teachers are happy to support, reinforce, and encourage their progress at school.
Our goal is to make potty training a positive, low‑stress experience that honors each child’s developmental pace while maintaining consistency between home and school.
The JCC is happy to provide space for outside therapists to work with your child, either within the classroom or in a separate, quiet space, depending on what best supports your child’s needs. To arrange therapy sessions on site, please contact Clara@jcc-asheville.org to schedule.
We also partner with community programs such as the Sunshine Project, Buncombe Partnership for Children, and Asheville City Schools. These collaborations help us ensure that children with a wide range of needs receive the support, resources, and interventions that help them thrive.We welcome children of all abilities and work with families individually to create a plan that supports each child’s growth and success.
Shalom Children’s Center follows North Carolina General Statute 130A‑152(a), which requires immunizations for every child in the state. All children entering our program must have a current immunization record on file prior to admission.The JCC considers medical exemptions only, reviewed on a case‑by‑case basis.
For more information, please contact:
Jessie Phillips
Childcare Administrative Coordinator
School Operating Hours
Monday–Friday: 8am–5pm
Saturday–Sunday: Closed
Hours subject to change