Makom

Register for Makom here!

At Adath Israel we believe in living Judaism in real time. That is why we have invested in a Shabbat school model. Our goal is to foster an intergenerational community that gathers on Shabbat for prayer, celebrations, and learning. The research has demonstrated that students who grow up attending Shabbat services and programming on a regular basis are more likely to have a stronger Jewish identity and grow up not only to reach their B’nei Mitzvah but to continue their Jewish journey post B’nei Mitzvah. Cultivating a Shabbat culture is imperative to empowering today’s children to own their Jewish identities and become Jewishly literate adults.

Our teachers and students create a fun environment for learning together. Through the use of Project Based Learning, Adath Israel has modernized the ways our children are engaging with their Jewish education. Project Based Learning is learner centric and focuses on the needs, interests, and learning styles of each individual learner. In which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to authentic and engaging problems, questions or challenges. 

At Makom, our children experience Judaism alive with ruach (spirit). Through experiential teaching methods, reflective discussions, student-centered activities, and community-building programs. Our program promotes lifelong learning as well as  spiritual and education growth. We emphasize meaningful, value-based, real-time, hands-on, learning for our students.

Makom has changed the religious school experience, where traditional and progressive teaching methods intersect, creating a comfortable learning space for all students. Each school day, the students can work independently, in groups, and have time with their teachers, clergy, and friends. 

We teach Hebrew by levels. Students in 4th through 6th grade are divided by their skill level and learn to master the prayers in the siddur and then focus on learning to read and talk in modern Hebrew. 

Once per year, the whole school has the opportunity to experience a Mitzvah Day. On these days, we collaborate with different organizations and each student gets to do a Mitzvah (a good deed). This goes hand in hand with the value of Tzedek, social justice, teaching our students that it is one of our many Jewish values to continue to learn and take part in social justice work. 

Each year, Makom students have the opportunity to take part in a grade level activity with their parent/guardians. For example, our 5^th graders make their very own yad (Torah pointer) with their families and then learn to read a verse of Torah. 

Learning Hebrew

At Adath Israel, our educational vision is to foster a community where Judaism is meaningful to each person, which links generation to generation, and leads to lifelong learning and Jewish living.

Our mission is to provide diverse Jewish educational experiences for families and individuals of all ages, according to the middot (values) of Conservative Judaism as they relate to Torah and Mitzvot, prayer, the Hebrew language, State of Israel, the Jewish people, and relationships between people and with God.

The three pillars of a Makom education are: 

1. Torah - to instill a love of Jewish learning and to aid in the development of skills for full synagogue participation and Jewish practice
2. Avodah – a familiarity with daily and weekly prayer and a desire to work toward Hebrew knowledge 
3. Gemilut Chasadim - Socialization & Community Building with the Makom community 

The Mishnah states: The world stands on three things: Torah, Avodah (Worship) and Gemilut Chasadim (Acts of Loving Kindness) (Ethics of the Fathers 1:2).” What are these “Acts of Loving Kindness” that are so important they are supporting the world? In short, Gemilut Chasadim are what make the world a better place to live.

Some of the central values that we strive to promote are:

Kevod Habriot / Menschlichkeit – cultivate respect and care for oneself and others by participating in acts of:

Tikkun Olam (repairing the world)

Tzedakah (acts of giving)

Sh’mirat Mitzvot – to encourage the observance of mitzvot through which a sense of God’s presence is cultivated in our lives and in the world.

K’lal Yisrael – to cultivate an ever-deepening connection and commitment to Israel and Jews throughout the world.

Using tablets to practice Hebrew reading