This week we are exploring a text that is near and dear to Makom Community’s personal history. We are looking at the story of Yaakov and the dream he had in a very special makom (place). In this dream, Yaakov receives some important information about his future: he is lying on the VERY land that his descendants will inherit, and God will protect them until they all safely return there. Yaakov finds his dream awe-inspiring: he learns about his future, finds God standing next to him, and watches angels go up and down a ladder. In this makom, Yaakov becomes who he is meant to be. Our hope is that Makom Community is a place where all of us can become who we are meant to be, too.
What do you already know about what a makom is?
- It’s not ordinary!
- We learn stories of Avraham’s son Yitzhak and his kids Yaakov & Esav when we’re here.
- NO work like school! And definitely no grades.
- We say brachot (blessings) before we eat! Ya know, to say thank you.
What are places where you especially connect with God or something bigger than yourself?
- Here, because of what we learn!
- When I was standing next to an impressively big tree that went all the way up to the sky, and I realized God is even bigger.
- In a store with lots of toys. I was connected to all the ways someone could be happy!
- At the movies.
- Florida because there are beautiful iguanas.
- My room makes me feel safe and happy because it’s all mine.
- My beanbag with a blanket and a candle makes me feel *does a bwahhh sound with a relaxed exhale*.
- In my dad’s arms, I feel all the feelings.
- In the morning when I wake up.
What would a place where you can connect with God or something bigger than yourself look like? How do you know?
- It would be me alone on a sidewalk with God in the sky. I know God is there because it’s private. There are no interruptions or distractions.
- It would look like the ladder we’re learning about in the story. It’s a place where something makes a connection between the ground and the sky for God to come to us.
- I think the rain forest because it’s quiet there.
- It would be me dancing with everyone else on the world. The dancing is our conversation with God.
- It would be the world because God is everywhere.
How was Yaakov able to notice God in the makom?
- He felt it in his own heart.
- He dreamed.
- God was in his dream.
- When you dream you think of stuff you haven’t thought of before and then it occurs to you when you wake up.
- He felt a powerful connection when he was right there, and he felt that the powerful connection was God.
- It was scary and holy at the same time, scoly.
What can we do to notice God in ordinary places?
- Dream and notice our dreams!
- Feel God.
- You have to sleep so you can have dreams with God in them.
- Close my eyes when I’m awake to be more like a dream.
When asked how Makom Community got its name, one wise 4th grader had this to say: “It’s a special place where maybe God’s presence is, because Yaakov’s makom had God’s presence in it. And also Makom Community is a place where we can be ourselves and where we can help other people be themselves.” We feel lucky every day that we get to learn and play together in such a special and loving makom.