Makom Community NEWS

What’s the Big Idea?
It is no secret that at Makom Community, we like to do things big, loudly, and with a lot of excitement. One cause for such fanfare? The starting of a new unit- a theme that we will spend the next several weeks exploring through the texts we study and, for Nitzanim (2nd-4th graders), our project-based-learning (PBL) projects. Nitzanim at both…

Seeing Ourselves in Our Stories
This past month at Makom Community, we have been dedicating a lot of time to learning about and reading Megillat Esther. Megillat Esther is the text that tells us the story of Purim; a story that many of you may be familiar with. In it, King Achashverosh, the king of Persia, sends his wife away for disobeying him and invites…

Adar: When Kids Inspire Joy
During the Hebrew month of Adar, the month where Purim falls, we’re commanded to increase our joy. As a Jew and an educator, I’ve always struggled with this commandment. Maybe it is that I’ve outgrown my love of dressing up in costume, so Purim doesn’t have the same glitz and glam that it once did. Still, as a Jewish educator,…
A Letter from our Executive Director & Founder
Beverly Socher-Lerner

Dear Families,
Thank you for considering Makom Community on the world wide web! We are a makom (place) where your children can experience joyful community that embraces them and your whole family for exactly who you are! In Jewish tradition, a makom is the kind of place where someone grows into who they CAN be. We hope our makom will be that kind of place, too.
Our learners ask mind-boggling questions each day. Your children co-create an environment with their teachers and friends that invites questions and meaning-making from Jewish wisdom. Our learning is focused on the social-emotional skills our tradition teaches, which we practice daily in our community. We call our approach to Jewish learning, Jewish Placemaking.
You can expect warm, personal, and playful experiences for your child at Makom Community. That’s true when Makom is in afterschool enrichment, at camp, and when we’re off-site, too. Makom Community presents a new model for Jewish Education. We strive to create a high-quality experience for urban parents who want a vibrant program on weekday afternoons with a rich Jewish tradition and Jewish wisdom.
Each week ends on a high note at our Family Shabbat Celebrations. You can expect to end your week with much needed family time. Family Shabbat Celebrations invite us to participate in Tefilah: Prayer, Music, and Movement together. Parents get to learn about a piece of Jewish wisdom that was in our curriculum that week. Then, you’ll get to turn to your child and say, “Well, in our family, we see that this way…”. You’ll tell family stories and impart your wisdom in those moments. And all our parents, from many backgrounds, get to be the interpreters of Jewish tradition.
I hope you’ll join us! Please feel free to reach out to talk more over coffee or arrange a personal tour.
Warmly,
Beverly