The air feels crisp and clean. The silence broken only by the occasional barking dog or the sounds of birds overhead. The pale light of dawn is spreading over our world and a new day has begun on Moshav Matityahu. The bustle of daily activity becomes more urgent, with busses to meet and school bells to beat, and the school age kids can be seen leaving for another day of school. At about 8 am, the younger children can be seen making their way to their gan (kindergarten). The smaller set are accompanied by a parent or older sibling, while many of the older ones are already walking alone.

Centrally located on the Moshav is the gan and maon (day care) building. The gan was started in September 1981, which is when the first families settled on the Moshav. The present-day building was not quite ready when they first started and the location shifted a few times, until finally they were able to settle into the current, permanent premises.

There are separate gan and maon entrances. Inside, one cannot really tell that they are in the same building. For convenience, there is a door that leads from the gan to the maon, but it remains closed at all times and the children from each side do not interact with each other during gan hours.

The maon consists of a large central room, a kitchen, large bathroom/changing room and another smaller "sleeping" room. This is where the babies and toddlers spend their days. There is an option to stay until 4 pm, and those that do stay have their naps in the adjoining room. Those that do not stay until 4 pm are picked up at 1 pm. The maon provides the children with a hot parave lunch every day and they get drinks and snacks during the morning as well. There is a dedicated staff working in the maon. The morning caregiver is there from 7:30 am until 12 noon. The afternoon person comes in at 11 am and is there until 4 pm. Chantelle, the resident chef, prepares delicious hot meals for the children every day. Chantelle is also available to help the caregivers should the need arise.

The official age for maon children is six weeks to two years. If there is a particular year that has a large registration, or has little babies, then the maon operates with two caregivers. The morning routine is structured with time given for free play, learning skills and games that teach the necessary tools to children who will be entering gan. The morning caregiver also has the kids doing exercises to a really cute song! They work on fine motor skills and bring home lovely work that they have done. The maon has a large outside playground area, which is enclosed by a fence. There is a large (covered) sandpit, an outside playhouse and climbing equipment.

The gan is a brightly-lit, cheerfully decorated room, with grinning pictures of past graduates on some of the walls. The bathroom and large kitchen are clean and modern and the gan runs efficiently, demonstrating that it is a well-practiced entity. The gan also has a large, fenced-in outdoor play area. They have climbing equipment, lots of sand to run and play in, and a fun house. Morah Chanie is the head teacher and has been with the gan for ten years. Her warm smile and close embrace greets each child as he/she arrives every morning, while her soft, calm voice holds the group together throughout the day. Morah Chanie is the epitome of professionalism and pure kindness rolled into one. Her insight and caring has nurtured the children of the Moshav for years and she is loved by all. Often one can see older children visiting and helping out in the gan, and Morah Chanie is always happy to see her past alumni and hear about their more recent achievements.

Morah Sara is the assistant teacher. She has been working in the gan for 18 years and is an invaluable asset to the gan. Her role as "right hand woman" takes on more than what one can imagine and she can be seen doing gardening, bringing in home-baked treats or simply extending a hand in whatever capacity is needed. Morah Sara is quick to hug and seems to have endless patience. She will sit with a child who needs a few moments of quiet time and she is forever making something or doing something that the gan or children need. Both she and Morah Chanie make a tremendous effort for the gan and are a great team.

The gan children are divided into three groups, according their age and year in gan. The three-year-olds work in a group, together with their teacher. They do all the age-appropriate basic learning that this age group needs and they enjoy their outside play time with the older groups as well. The music specialist is another shared activity between all age groups. The four-year-olds are also given attention to their particular needs and the five-year-olds work on school readiness and can be seen practicing their letters and letter recognition. Birthday parties, the Chanukah party, the Purim party and the end-of-year party are the highlights of this terrific gan, where three years of gan-age children come together under one roof to learn and play. The unique way this gan is run is inspiring to behold, and the small community feeling is prevalent in the way all the ages are together in the same room.

Moshav Matityahu is very proud of their gan and maon and believe that the educational standard and level of warmth given to the Moshav’s children is excellent. We are always on the lookout to improve and enhance the facilities; for example, some updated equipment would be a valuable addition. The Moshav’s management and the employees of the gan/maon are dedicated to providing a safe and fun learning experience to the children in their care.