Welcome to your learning home.
Located on seven acres of meadow, creek, pond, and woods, Columbus Jewish Day School provides children in kindergarten through fifth grade the academic and social tools they need to grow into independent, socially responsible, ethical, human beings. CJDS is a community Jewish day school.
Our campus is more than a location—it's a vibrant, living laboratory where learning comes alive through hands-on experiences.
Our students don't just hear about nature and science in a classroom. They immerse themselves in it with on-campus fishing excursions, organic gardening, and butterfly habitats. Through our tower garden program, children experience the cycle of food growth and practice Tzedakah by donating the fresh produce they cultivate to community organizations.
This deep connection to the natural world extends into social responsibility. Students lead recycling initiatives and environmental projects, developing a profound understanding of their role as stewards of our planet, even at an early age. This unique outdoor learning environment, rare among modern schools, elevates the daily routine into an extraordinary education.
CJDS is centrally located in New Albany, Ohio. Built in 2009, our building is a shared space with the JCC Northeast Campus.
Our students learn in spacious, beautiful classrooms with picture windows that allow them to gaze upon the natural classrooms surrounding our school.
Each grade has two classrooms, furnished with moveable furniture, giving our teachers maximum flexibility in engaging students for learning. And the Alison Goldberg Senser Gymnasium hosts our All-School Kabbalat Shabbat and holiday programming, our annual Gratitude Concert, and other student performances – while also being our space for indoor play and physical education. The school contains a commercial grade kosher kitchen, from which we serve hot lunch daily.
Where Nature Nurtures Learning
“From the moment we stepped inside CJDS on our first tour as prospective kindergarten parents, we felt a sense of home. The warmth, nurturing, and joy of learning were palpable. We immediately knew CJDS would provide the perfect foundation for our son's growth — and the ideal community for our family."
— Josh and Stefanie
We have six outdoor classrooms that are used year-round, for which we have been awarded the “Wild School” designation by the state of Ohio.
Our gardens, tended by the students, produce hundreds of pounds of vegetables that are donated to those in need in the Columbus community, in partnership with Wexner Heritage Village and Healthy New Albany Food Pantry. Our pond serves as a live biology lab for students to explore the ecosystem.
The very best way to experience our school is by visiting the campus, stepping into our classrooms, and seeing first-hand the warm, rigorous, combined Jewish and secular education that we offer.
We warmly invite you to join us for a private tour, or for an upcoming virtual admission information session. Please contact our Director of Admissions, Julie M., to schedule a personal conversation about our program. We look forward to meeting you!