Marion Blumenthal

I was born in 1948, the same year as the state of Israel. In my ardently Zionist home, these two blessed events were imbued with a sense of hope, optimism, rebirth and pride. The Nazis had not succeeded either to snuff out my family or that of the Jewish people writ large. The powerful myth and narrative of Israel which I learned in my home, coupled with a strongly Zionist education and camping experience, made my love of Israel a natural phenomenon. Throughout the years, my ability to sustain that love through the growing political, economic and social complexities of the State of Israel was never called into doubt.

But, while many in my generation can recount stories of unshakeable love for Israel, how about young Jews who grew up after the Six Day War? For them, Israel’s existence as a state is a given; and its moral and political complexity has resulted in an increasing sense of alienation from Israel. This phenomenon has been coupled with this generation’s diminishment of particularism and ethnic identity. American Jews, who are the products of the global village, think of and build community in their own backyards. Their sense of belonging to a global Jewish people with Israel at the center of that narrative is considered to be passé.

How then do we begin to reverse this trend? How do we instill a sense of belonging to the Jewish people and to its sovereign expression in the Jewish Homeland? How do we connect the next generation to the historical narrative of our people who originated in the promised land of Israel? Just a few months before I was born, David Ben-Gurion and leaders of the fledgling state declared, “The Land of Israel was the birthplace of the Jewish people. Here their spiritual, religious and political identity was shaped. Here they first attained to statehood, created cultural values of national and universal significance and gave to the world the eternal Book of Books.” What is the relevance of this narrative to those who consider themselves citizens of North America and not as exilic Jews?

The goal of Makom is to change the current landscape around engagement with Israel. Much of Israel engagement and education in North America centers around Israel advocacy, a worthy goal in its own right, but more suited to those who already care deeply about Israel. And much Israel education is bland, out-dated and mono-dimensional, ill-suited for the thinking and sophisticated minds of our best young people today. Israel is far too often presented only as a separate subject, rather than also being embedded in the culture of a school, camp, or other educational environment.

Makom seeks to develop approaches to provide authentic experiences of engagement with Israel. We seek to grapple with current issues and concerns through the use of cultural tools, and educational content that integrates Israel into the holistic experience of schools, camps, campuses and communities. Makom works with national and local agencies to spread best practices, and to give those in the field the opportunity to have a rich exchange of ideas. Makom targets working with the leadership of communities, recognizing that it is the rabbinic, educational, cultural change agents and lay leaders that inspire a community to shift their discourse. At the same time we need to develop a new narrative, one that will inspire and speak to the next generation to create a deep connection to Israel and to the Jewish people. Only through a sustained effort, and one that addresses the complex reality of Israel in ways appropriate to our culture and our times, can we hope to make Israel a significant and salient element in the consciousness of Jews growing up in early 21st century North America.

Marion Blumenthal has been Makom’s Chair since its inception.

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