Meet the ECE Initiative Director

Janet Harris has worked in the field of early childhood Jewish education for over 30 years. During that time, Janet has worked for the Agency of Jewish Education in the East Bay, has founded both an Orthodox and Conservative Jewish preschool, and has been a Jewish community preschool director for many years.

Janet is a graduate of the Melton Program for Jewish Education in the Diaspora, a year-long fellowship program based at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She has also been a Wexner Heritage Fellow, completed the Mandel Teacher Education Initiative, and has been a Richard Dinner Fellow at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

Ms. Harris holds California teaching credentials in Early Childhood Education and Parent Education. Janet studied at Pacific Oaks College for her bachelor’s degree in Human Development, and her master’s degree in Educational Leadership.

She is an ardent supporter of Israel, and is a member of the early childhood achievement and development (ECHAD) professional committee, a JCF committee that serves Early Childhood Education projects in the Israeli Arab communities of Israel. She lives with her husband in Berkeley, and is an active participant at Congregation Netivot Shalom.