For thousands of years, study has been an integral part of Judaism. From generation to generation, a tradition of scholarship has bound Jews together in all places, times and circumstances. Our school is a proud part of that tradition.

The South Peninsula Hebrew Day School, founded in 1972, has evolved into what is best described as modern Orthodox. We embrace the technological and multi-cultural aspects of the geographic area in which we live, yet we continue to adhere to traditional observances of Judaism. We are active participants in the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties and in the Jewish Federation of Greater San Jose. We belong to the Torah U'Mesorah organization. We encourage service to the Jewish community and a love of Israel. We equally encourage our parents to be involved in the life of the school and the community.

While sharing a common heritage, our students are diverse, both culturally and religiously. We serve American families and families from around the world and our student body spans the spectrum of Jewish belief. We take pride in that heritage and that diversity.

We are committed to excellence in both general studies and Hebrew and Judaic studies. Our emphasis is on building a strong foundation which will lead our children to enjoy a lifetime of learning. We recognize the uniqueness of each student and foster the development of self-esteem and both personal and communal responsibility. We see each child as an individual and we provide individual attention to each student to help encourage that child's uniqueness.

Our general education program is complete and rigorous, preparing our children for entry to the high school programs of their choice. It includes English language and literature, history, math and science. We emphasize skills needed for academic success at the highest levels: writing, research, study skills, scientific experimentation and critical thinking. We complete our program with computer education, music, art and physical education.

Hebrew language study is required from the earliest grades. It is intended not only to provide children a high degree of bilingualism, but also to enrich their understanding of Jewish history, culture and religion. The presence of Israeli students encourages all children to use Hebrew in everyday discourse and provides the opportunity for American children to reach a parity of skills with Israeli children. Students need to achieve proficiency in both English and in Hebrew in order to succeed here. In special cases, either before or after admission, extra coursework in English or Hebrew language, may be necessary.

Judaic studies are conducted in both languages, although, as students progress, the use of original texts in Hebrew plays a larger role. Special emphasis is placed on textual fluency, finding personal meaning and pursuing independent study at the highest level. We teach Orthodox Judaism and adhere to its basic tenets at school.

We are unique in several respects. We serve Jewish students both from Israel and from the local community. We adhere to Orthodox and Zionist principles, yet we are inclusive: we respect the full diversity of our Jewish families. SPHDS offers many models of rigorous scholarship. Revelation and reason meet here on a daily basis. Traditional values of Jewish scholarship, including independent and critical thinking, cooperative learning and research are as fundamental today as ever, in both general and religious study. Our pursuit of excellence in a diverse community of Jewish families results in an especially rich, varied and fulfilling experience for our children, from both intellectual and religious perspectives. We have achieved a unique balance that has worked for this school community for over 30 years.