We continue the 130 year old tradition
of integrating Russian Jews into American Jewry

Then our language was Yiddish. Today our language is Russian. We want to learn more about our roots to enable the next generation of Russian-speaking American Jews to become proud of their Russian Jewish heritage, culture, language and strong connection to the land of Israel.

Our programs grew and developed reflecting the changing needs of the Russian-speaking Jewish community of the Bay Area.

Today Yom Rishon School offers a comprehensive cultural and educational program that brings families closer
to the world of Jewish tradition and to the modern State of Israel.

Our History

We express our sincere gratitude to Peggy Shapera and Inna Benjaminson who started a program for Russian-speaking Jewish in the Bay area and without whom the creation of Yom Rishon School would not be possible

1989
Émigré resettlement program for Soviet Jews created at Congregation Beth Am
1998
Launch of My Jewish Discovery — first Russian-language class within the context
of Congregation Beth Am’s family education program
2011
Congregation Beth Am Émigré Program transformed into a comprehensive Jewish education program
for Russian-speaking families with children between the ages of 2 and 14 years old
2015
The programs gain an independent status and Yom Rishon school is born,
becoming the first family Jewish education institution for Russian speakers in the Bay Area

Meet Our Team

Natalia Tsvibel
Natalia Tsvibel

Diana Alper

Zhanna Shpits

Juliana Pelevina

Support Yom Rishon School

You can learn more about our Support Levels and Donate directly from our Support Page

Thank You to All Our School Sponsors

Avot

Fooksman Family
Charitable Fund

Tzadikkim

Anna and Michael Chernyak

Neviim

Eduard Kegulsky and Alice Filmus-Kegulsky

Misha Dynin

Hanna and Ilya Firman

Chachamim

Katherine Gipsh and Alexander Rotenshtein

Alexandra Shwartz and Igor Tarakanov

Anna and Eugene Yakov Goldfarb

Natalia and Michael Zeltser

Anna and Dmitry Perelman

with

Zoya Leznik, Natalia Vinnik, Natalia and Michael Weinshtein, Lana Lopatinsky

YRS sponsors previous years

Galina and Lev Leytes, Saina Hadden, Marina and Ilya Lipkind, Svetlana and George Goldenberg, Simona and Michael Bezman, Nadia and Val Shkolnikov, Nina and Michael Kouchnir, Paul Mogilevsky, Anna and Dmitry Perelman, Marina and Mikhail Alper, Inna and Eugene Spier, Alexandra Levich and Barak Turovsky, Katherine Gipsh and Alexander Rotenshtein, Tatyana and Eugeny Makeev, Marianna and Boris Mednikov, Jane and Vadim Gorokhovsky, Hannah and Ilya Firman, Igal Sokolov, Alla Shapiro, Marina and Jean Francois Hervy, Adel and Vladimir Belous, Peggy and Ron Shapira, Alla Botvinskaya and Dmitry Lipets, Andrey Tsvibel, Tatyana and Dmitry Myastkovetsky, Sasha and Boris Shkolnik

About Us

We continue the 130 year old tradition of integrating Russian Jews into American Jewry