In the News

2026

San Mateo County STEM Fair Winners - 2026
Congratulations to the Wornick students who were selected at the Wornick Science Fair to compete at the San Mateo County STEM Fair. Well done to the students who placed at this year’s event.

Rina Mangurten, Director of Jewish Studies, Receives Diller Educator Award
March 23, 2026 - Jewish Federation Bay Area
The Jewish Federation Bay Area and the Hellen Diller Family Foundation are honored to announce the 2026 Diller Educator Award Recipients. These four extraordinary Bay Area educators have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to transforming pre-collegiate Jewish learning – and their impact on our youth will be felt for generations to come. Chosen by a distinguished committee of Jewish community leaders, each recipient will be awarded $10,000 in recognition of their experience, with an additional $2,500 granted to their organization in support of their vital work.

J. sent ‘kid reporters’ to Purim parties with disposable cameras
March 19, 2026 - J Weekly
We are excited to share that three of our Wornick students were selected for J. Weekly’s 2026 Purim Kid Reporter Project! They were given press badges and disposable cameras to capture the excitement and Jewish joy during our all-school Purim celebration. We are so proud that several of their photos were published in this week’s newspaper—and one of our students was also interviewed about her experience.

Karen Bendelman, Director of Learning Support, Receives Distinguished Service Award
Congratulations to Karen Bendelman, Director of Learning Support, for receiving the 2026 Distinguished Service Award from the California Association for the Gifted! Ms. Bendelman is recognized for her profound impact on gifted education through scholarship, leadership, and global advocacy. Her work spans countries, cultures, and educational systems, building foundations for gifted and twice exceptional learners where none previously existed. As a practitioner, researcher, and leader, Karen brings integrity, empathy, and deep expertise to every role she serves. Her contributions continue to expand the understanding of giftedness worldwide while strengthening the connection between research, practice, and equity.

UnitEd Unites Schools Around the World in Expressing Support to Australian Jewish Day Schools
January 29, 2026
Back to school in Australia and in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach Chanukah Massacre, UnitEd organized an effort for Jewish day schools around the world to express their love and support to our brothers and sisters in Australia. A short montage video was sent to Australian JDS principals to share with their constituency. Their pain is our pain. UnitEd and Jews throughout the world have Australian Jewry in our thoughts and prayers.
Watch the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyYajoPeHM8 (Wornick students appear at 0:20)

2025

Jewish Federation Bay Area Grantee Spotlight: Wornick Jewish Day School
October 28, 2025
Federation grantee, Ronald C Wornick Jewish Day School, infuses Jewish tradition into the lives of children in K-8 grades. This year, with the help of Federation funding, they have embarked on an 11,000 square foot expansion of their facility. Head of School Adam Eilath talks about the project and strengthening Jewish identity for the younger generation. Watch the Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v26QI1C1rBI

Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School: Offering a holistic approach to Jewish education
September 2025 - Koret Foundation
The Koret Foundation’s vision and values are realized through the work of our grantees. Their experiences, challenges, and successes teach us how to become better grantmakers and community players. We share their stories here—their approaches, adaptations, and accomplishments—to honor the constituencies they serve and to inspire others.

Local teens call JCC Maccabi Games in Tucson a ‘great experience’
August 29, 2025 - J Weekly
Congrats to alum Lorelai Shub ‘25 who won a bronze medal in volleyball at this summer’s JCC Maccabi Games in Tucson, Arizona! Lorelai was a standout volleyball player at Wornick in middle school who helped lead the team as a co-captain in her 8th grade year. We’re so proud of you!

Wornick wins medals in Bay Area Parent's Best of the Best contest
July 29, 2025
We are very excited to announce that for the 4th year in a row Wornick has won medals in Bay Area Parent's magazine Best of the Best contest. This year we were awarded the gold medal for the Best Private Middle School on the Peninsula and the silver medal for the Best Private Elementary School on the Peninsula. 

Happenings, honors, comings and goings — June 2025
June 27, 2025 - J Weekly
Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 4 to start renovations on its Foster City campus. About 150 people attended the event, including Mayor Stacy Jimenez, representatives from the Koum Family Foundation and Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, along with numerous local supporters, alumni and parents. “This groundbreaking represents a critical moment for Jewish education on the North Peninsula…. In a time of rising antisemitism and global uncertainty, this project stands as a powerful act of defiance against despair, an affirmation that the Jewish people will continue to build, thrive, and lead with compassion and creativity,” head of school Adam Eilath said. Read more

Wornick Class of 2025 Receives Upstander Award
May 8, 2025
Congratulations to Class of 2025 who was awarded the Upstander Award from Facing History and Ourselves (https://www.facinghistory.org/) for their Antisemitism Community Learning Event held at Wornick in January. Two Wornick eighth graders received the award on behalf of the whole class. We are so proud of this class for their courage, knowledge, and leadership! We are also very excited that Wornick alum Adam B was recognized for his work at Wornick and in high school.

San Mateo County STEM Fair Winners - 2025
Congratulations to the Wornick students who were selected at the Wornick Science Fair to compete at the San Mateo County STEM Fair. Well done to the students who placed at this year’s event.

Strengthening Jewish Identity Through Israel-Centered Education
April 29, 2025 - "Adapting: The Future of Jewish Education" podcast by The Jewish Education Project
In this special Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzma’ut episode, David Bryfman sits down with Adam Eilath, Head of School at Wornick Jewish Day School in the Bay Area, to explore the empowering integration of Jewish, Hebrew, and Israel education. As we commemorate these powerful national holidays, Adam shares how centering Israel in Jewish life and education has successfully inspired stronger Jewish identities and has built vibrant, resilient communities. Through methods like partnering with Israeli educators, creating intentional learning experiences that connect parents to their children’s educational journeys, and designing programs that commemorate Israeli history and culture with emotional impact, Jewish day schools can nurture a deep love for Israel that serves as a model for other schools. 

CZI Community Space: “Metamorphosis: Evolving Identities” Exhibit Celebrates Local Artists
March 27, 2025
Wornick's talented art teacher Ginger Slonaker has been selected for an exhibition titled "Metamorphosis: Evolving Identities" which includes work representing transformation, growth, and self-discovery through various mediums. This event is organized by the Redwood City Parks and Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

Co-Directors of Jewish Studies, Roy Meron and Rina Mangurten, Selected as 2025 Fellows for M2 
January 16, 2025
M²: The Institute for Experiential Jewish Education, is a nonprofit organization that empowers educators and organizations to create impactful Jewish experiences. Fellows from across the globe participate in four distinct programs, including professional development initiatives for senior educators and educators in Israel as well as research fellowships exploring Jewish prayer and peoplehood. The fellows join M²’s network of over 2,500 educators from 20+ countries and 570 organizations.

Director of Academic Operations, Asaf Levi, Accepted to the Day School Leadership Training Institute
The Day School Leadership Training Institute (DSLTI) is the premier fellowship for new and aspiring heads of Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Mentors provide engaging experiential learning opportunities, cutting-edge leadership development, ongoing mentoring, and the space to collaboratively problem-solve with a cohort of peers. DSLTI provides space for new and aspiring heads to bravely face vulnerabilities, go deep into leadership learning, and build professional and personal connections that last a lifetime. Fellows engage in reflective practice and introspection with a trusted cohort of colleagues.

2024

How Oct. 7 Changed American Jews
October 6, 2024 - New York Times

JIMENA is pleased to announce the appointment of Adam Eilath as our new Educator-in-Residence
September 3, 2024
JIMENA is pleased to announce the appointment of Adam Eilath as our new Educator-in-Residence. In this role, Adam will provide essential support for our newest Senior Jewish Educators Cohort as well as offer ongoing support for educators involved with JIMENA. Read more

San Mateo County STEM Fair Winners - 2024
Congratulations to the Wornick students who were selected at the Wornick Science Fair to compete at the San Mateo County STEM Fair. Well done to the students who placed at this year’s event.

Prizmah Podcasts: Bearing Witness
January 22, 2024
In this Prizmah Podcast, Head of School Adam Eilath and three other heads of school from the Bay Area talk about a mission they took together to Israel during the current war.

Wornick Selected for Preside Cohort
January, 2024
Wornick Jewish Day School has been selected as one of 13 Jewish organizations to participate in Preside. Preside is a 15-month program designed to address virtually all aspects of the partnership between professional and board leadership, and the unique governance, and other challenges associated with their leadership, to enable the professional and board leadership to lead with Jewish values and vision-focused inquiry and to establish sustainable governance and leadership practices. Wornick is grateful for being chosen to participate in Preside.

2023

In search of ‘normal’ amid war, some Israelis are enrolling their kids in Bay Area schools
December 15, 2023 - J Weekly

Wornick Wins 1st Place in Worldwide Chanukkiot Contest
December 12, 2023
We are very excited to announce that Wornick won first place in the World Zionist Organization's Chanukkiot (Menorah) Competition! More than 100 Chanukkiot (Menorahs) were submitted from Jewish Day Schools around the world on the theme of "Giving strength to the State of Israel and the Jewish People." In a collaboration between Hebrew, Jewish Studies, Art, and the Peleh Lab, Wornick's Chanukkiyah was built by students, our shinshinim, and teachers together and each grade decorated a candle with values such as Love, Happiness, and Peace, with the Shamash candle tying them all together with the value of Unity. Here is a video of all of the entries with the winners at the end: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sylY1vCikY
J Weekly coverage: Honors, happenings, opportunities, comings and goings — Jan. 2024

Head of School Adam Eilath Chosen for the New Leading Executives Program From Leading Edge
September 28, 2023 - J Weekly
Adam Eilath, head of school at Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School in Foster City, is one of 19 Jewish nonprofit leaders chosen for the new Leading Executives program from Leading Edge, a nonprofit that helps Jewish organizations better achieve their missions. The six-month executive training program offers participants new and adaptable leadership skills, constructive personalized feedback and mutual support through a peer network.

Head of School Adam Eilath Reflects:
FIRST PERSON: Tragedy can’t overshadow the joys of our Tunisian Jewish pilgrimage
May 24, 2023 - J Weekly

San Mateo County STEM Fair Winners
March 2023 - San Mateo County Office of Education
Congratulations to the Wornick students who were selected at the Wornick Science Fair to compete at the San Mateo County STEM Fair. Well done to the students who placed at this year’s event.

Wornick Students Speak at JCRC's Antisemitism Event
February 23, 2023 - Wornick was honored to host Jewish Community Relations Council of San Francisco's "Here I Am: San Mateo County Communities United Against Antisemitism" event along with our campus partner the Peninsula Jewish Community Center. Our two Student Council co-presidents shared how their Jewish day school experience has prepared them to not just be advocates against antisemitism and acts of hate, but to proudly live and experience life in a vibrant Jewish community is in itself a stand against antisemitism.

Head of School Adam Eilath Finds Hope in New Israeli TV Series
January 17, 2023 - J Weekly

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