ChefLab Afternoon Academy is a private daily schooling extension designed to inspire curiosity and support meaningful growth through a sense-based approach to lifelong learning. Our program blends academic enrichment with hands-on exploration, engaging children in art, language, science, and cultural experiences in a supportive, structured setting.
At ChefLab, we focus on educating the whole child. Our curriculum nurtures each student’s cognitive, emotional, moral, and social development. By integrating best practices with a scientifically grounded, sense-based approach, we help strengthen memory retention and promote deeper, more lasting learning.
Our day starts by sharing a freshly cooked in-house hot lunch together as a community, providing an opportunity for social connection across age groups. Inspired by global cuisines, our kosher and vegetarian recipes offer experiential insights into cultural geography—without even realizing it, they’ve already begun learning! From there, they transition into their dedicated smaller groups: ranging from Gan age (Pre-K–K) to Lower Elementary (Grades 1–2) and Upper Elementary (Grades 3–5).
What to Expect
A Multi-Sensory Approach to Social, Emotional, and Intellectual Development
At ChefLab, learning is designed to awaken curiosity and encourage exploration through all the senses. Our activities inspire children to observe, touch, taste, listen, and engage with their environment, making learning intuitive and impactful. This sense-based approach helps students connect with concepts more deeply, fostering independent thinking and enhancing memory retention.
We aim to create a safe, enriching space where children can grow academically, emotionally, and socially. Alongside core subjects such as English language, art, history, science, and Judaic studies, we incorporate mindfulness practices through children’s yoga and movement. These activities support emotional development by helping students build focus, develop resilience, and cultivate self-awareness.
Our teaching approach encourages learners to question, experience, and reflect, promoting lifelong learning and independent problem-solving. By engaging multiple senses, we meet the diverse sensory needs of each child, recognizing that every student processes and learns through unique pathways.
"The purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” Sydney J. Harris
Never Stop Learning Because Life Never Stops Teaching
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” —Maimonides
Classroom Model
Empowering Independant Learners
ChefLab’s learning environment offers a variety of activities—whole-group, small-group, and individual—designed to meet students where they are. Our mixed-age group structure fosters peer learning and leadership, allowing students to take on mentoring roles while also benefiting from collaboration with peers. This skill-based model supports each child’s growth in alignment with their unique developmental pace, rather than being defined by age or grade level. As our students grow with us, we aim to develop learner independence by providing tools for self-guided learning and supporting students as they create their own roadmaps toward success.
individuality within community
ChefLab welcomes and supports all beliefs and practices
ChefLab welcomes and supports all beliefs and practices, creating an inclusive environment where diversity becomes an opportunity for learning and empathy replaces judgment. Our community fosters warmth, confidence, and understanding, encouraging students to develop self-awareness and embrace the unique qualities that make each person special.
We believe that every child deserves to be seen and supported as an individual. Our approach recognizes and respects differences in skills, backgrounds, and learning styles. As educators, we view it as our responsibility to understand how each child learns best and provide the tools they need to thrive.
At ChefLab, individuality and community work hand-in-hand. Through peer collaboration and personal responsibility, students learn to support and challenge each other—growing as individuals while contributing meaningfully to the group
“If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?”
Pirkei Avot 1:14
"Guide each child along their individual path." Proverbs 22.6
work and play
Balancing Focused Learning with Creative Exploration
At ChefLab, we value the balance between independent work and free exploration. Students are encouraged to make choices, take responsibility for their learning, and engage meaningfully with the materials at their disposal. This fosters a sense of ownership and reinforces focus, patience, and self-reflection.
Positive behavior and language are woven into this process, promoting values such as respect, responsibility, and cooperation. Our “fishbowl” recognition system encourages students to acknowledge their peers’ contributions, creating a supportive and collaborative atmosphere.
Through intentional work time and freedom within limitation, children learn to navigate their environment thoughtfully—making decisions, collaborating with others, and building essential life skills through both structured activities and creative exploration.
"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school." – Albert Einstein.
a lesson a day
from Monet to JFK
At ChefLab Afternoon Academy, every lesson is designed to spark curiosity and deepen understanding across a range of subjects. Our curriculum blends art, geography, science, history, and Jewish tradition into a cohesive, enriching experience. We strive to balance academic rigor with respect for each child’s individual developmental pace, fostering a love of learning that grows naturally.
Our roots as a science-focused program continue to shape our approach, placing emphasis on accuracy, experimentation, and critical thinking. Yet, our curriculum extends far beyond science—exploring the styles of renowned artists and their history, discovering world landmarks, state flags, and engaging with mythology and cultural stories from around the world—all alongside timelines of history that reveal the connections and interrelations between it all.
In our Judaic studies, students explore the origins of holidays and historical timelines, helping them connect with their heritage while exploring universal themes of history and tradition. Each unit is thoughtfully woven into the next, creating a rich tapestry of interconnected learning experiences that encourage students to find meaning in the world around them.
“I want to live in a world created by art, not just decorated with it." Banksy
write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow - lawrence clark powell
English language arts
Language can be spoken, heard, written, and read.
Our initial focus is to create a purposeful and engaging environment for developing literacy skills, beginning with exposure to print, parts of speech, and sensorial writing activities.
For younger students, we emphasize foundational skills such as letter recognition—identifying letter names and sounds—alongside writing upper and lowercase letters, practicing rhyming, and exploring word families through consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) patterns.
As students progress, our individualized approach nurtures a love of reading and writing through exposure to diverse literature across genres. As they continue to grow with us, Lower Elementary-aged learners build essential skills in word study, grammar, and spelling while developing fluency with sight words. Transitioning into Upper Elementary, we encourage inventive spelling and creative expression, supporting students in becoming confident, thoughtful readers and writers. Our eldest students apply their skills toward independent research, summarizing texts, and bringing together reading comprehension, written expression, and verbal communication to articulate their ideas effectively.
Judaic Studies
A Progressive Education for a Diverse Community
Our Judaic studies curriculum offers a post-denominational approach that embraces the diversity of our community. We encourage inclusivity by exposing students to a wide range of values, traditions, and cultures, fostering respect and participation in a pluralistic society.
We model curiosity, tolerance, and cultural sensitivity, engaging with diverse interpretations of Jewish texts and traditions, exploring how historical narratives and modern values intersect. This dynamic approach encourages students to look at Judaism as a living, evolving tradition—rich in ancient history, vibrant in practice, and in many ways relevant to contemporary life.
We aim to cultivate a strong sense of Jewish pride and communal responsibility (ahavat yisrael) while fostering universal values of compassion and social justice (ahavat olam). Our teachings also emphasize environmental awareness and responsibility (tikkun olam), encouraging students to recognize their role in caring for the world around them.
Combining Torah Learning
With Secular Studies
A mutual enriching interdisciplinary learning experience that encourages drawing moral insights and religious guidance from both disciplines.
Let's get cooking!
IT 'AINT ChefLab Without The Chef(s)
Extra-Curriculars
Driving It Home Through the Senses
At ChefLab Afternoon Academy, our sense-based extra-curricular activities extend and reinforce the rich experiences of our core curriculum. Through engaging enrichment like movement, art, science, and cooking, students have the opportunity to explore and apply their learning in dynamic, sensational ways.
Staying true to ChefLab’s roots, our week culminates with a cooking activity—an experience that brings together all five senses in the kitchen. Here, children develop practical skills while preparing an edible representation of what they’ve been studying, taking home a special Shabbat treat to share with family—classic ChefLab style.
the small print
Ages: Pre-K – 6th Grade (Beginning at 4 years old, and Grouped by Developmental Stage)
Hours: Afternoon Academy hours are Sunday–Thursday from 13:30–16:45, including pick-up from select locations. The 2025/2026 year runs from September 1st to July 16th, excluding school holidays.
Location: [Vitkin 1, Tel Aviv]
Transportation: Transportation to ChefLab is available from select schools within Tel Aviv at no additional cost if within walking distance. For schools requiring private bus service pickup, a transportation service is available for an additional fee to ensure a smooth and convenient commute. Pick-up begins at 13:30, and Tzaharon officially starts at 14:00.
ChefLab also offers exclusive day camps during school holidays (Sukkot, Chanuka, and Pesach). Tzaharon members are entitled to an introductory 12% discount and receive priority registration on a first-come, first-served basis.