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Makom (Grades 4 - 6)

 

4th - 6th graders meet:

  • Weekly Makom
    Saturdays (10:30 am - 12:30 pm) or Tuesdays (4:00 - 6:00 pm) classes. Details below.
  • Monthly Shabbat Family programming, click here for details.

Our Mission

Makom provides an opportunity for our community of children, educators and parents, to come together to claim our understanding and use of our Jewish traditions. We  do this through engaging with Hebrew and liturgical and ancient text familiarity and skills. We aim for a #fearlessJudaism where we explore spirituality, engage in experiential reflection, and strengthen social relationships within their home synagogue to find expression beyond this Makom/space.  Makom empowers learners to ask questions and seek answers, fosters leadership, individual meaning making and develops the concept of group responsibilities to each other, the local and global Jewish community and beyond. 

How it Works

Students, educators and parents bring their questions - we flesh out our set curriculum and our diverse and busy lives with the things that make us want to learn and act through a Jewish lens.

Makom begins with Tefillah.  Tefillah presents prayer in a warm, song-filled setting that invites participation and encourages questions.   Tefillah is not just a forum for praying; it is a setting for learning, where Hebrew and synagogue skills will be introduced and reinforced.  Tefillah includes interactive learning such as debate, Israeli dance, chevrutah (partnered) study of particular prayers, and group discussions.

After Tefillah, participants will transition into their experiential text-based activities.  The activity will be led by the Makom educator who works with your child(ren)’s specific grade. Each year our school has 4 themes that shape Makom communal learning and activities as well as curricular goals specific to their class.  In each year of Makom, students will explore fundamental Jewish texts (Torah, Bible, Mishnah, Talmud, Medieval texts, modern texts, and contemporary texts) and Jewish prayer in order to deepen their understanding of the values and underlying themes that help us make choices in our lives. 

Makom often ends with a closing ritual. On Tuesday, students experience the rituals relating to Rosh Chodesh, the start of the Jewish month as well as holiday celebrations. On Shabbat (Saturday) students end Makom with the Shabbat morning Kiddush (including challah and grape juice).  Following this, all families are invited and warmly encouraged to partake of a communal Shabbat lunch.

To learn more about our new family learning program for 4th - 6th graders, Makom Shabbaton, and their parents click here.

Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784