Dasee Berkowitz (Left), educator and Jewish lifecycle consultant (JLife Consulting)
enjoys the lush scenery and conversation with Charlie Schwartz (Right),
Jewish Theological Seminary rabbinical student and founder of MediaMidrash.org
at the Makom- the Israel Engagement Network faculty training seminar in New Jersey.
August 2, 2010 / 22 Av 5770
Makōm – the Israel Engagement Network is laying intellectual groundwork and inspiring new initiatives that have significantly advanced the field of Israel education. Established in 2004, it was launched jointly by North American Jewish communities and the Jewish Agency.
By Reuven Greenvald
Makōm is fundamentally changing the Israel education conversation in North America. The fruits of this work, during these last five years, can be seen in new approaches that bring the whole person – heart, soul, and critical faculties – into committed conversation and engagement with Israel. Based on significant achievements with North American partners, Makōm has developed an expansion model that enables more lay and professional leadership in North America and in Jewish communities around the world to gain access to the accumulated insights.
From Europe to South America, from Toronto to Florida, 30 educators and communal professionals gathered in Princeton, N.J., June 28-July 1, 2010, to be part of the first Makōm Faculty Training Seminar. During four intensive days, Makōm staff led these individuals through seminars that developed a common language about the conceptual framework underlying Israel education in today’s world, and demonstrated actual models of how Makōm applies its theories in the field when it works with local educators and leaders and creates Israel-based experiences and seminars.
The goal for the North American participants was to prepare them to run Makōm training seminars for educators, clergy, and lay leaders. For the educators from Central/South America and Europe, Makōm gave them more of the foundational thinking for posing the critical Israel engagement questions for their countries.
Representing Argentina, Brazil, France, Hungary, and Mexico, along with shlichim (emissaries) to the US who will work with Jews from Russian-speaking families, seminar participants acquired new ways of thinking and tools to meet the challenges of Israel engagement for themselves and their communities.
Makōm, too, learned from these representatives that although we live in a globalized world, cultural norms are still powerful shapers of difference from one Jewish community to another. Alona Stavans, a shlicha to the FSU community in New York, put it this way: “It was a growing experience for me as a person and as an educator which brought new ideas along with perspectives about Israel.”
Moving into the second half of 2010 and into 2011, we expect to see the North American participants, branded now as the Makōm Faculty, conducting Makōm professional development seminars with such titles as: Coming Back to Zion: Jewish Lifecycle and Israel Engagement, A Playlist for Israel Engagement: The Educational Power of Israeli Popular Music, and Curriculum Development in Israel Education: Defining Key Questions.
Reuven Greenvald is the Director of Community Initiatives for MAKOM - the Israel Engagement Network.