Makom was established in 2006 as a partnership between the Jewish Agency for Israel and twelve Jewish Community Federations in North America. Together they recognized that traditional Israel education had neither adapted to a complex unfolding Israel, nor to emerging Jewish identities. Young adults in particular were losing touch with Israel and Jewish Peoplehood.
Makom, a project of the Jewish Agency for Israel, is the place for challenging Israel education, enabling participants to ask challenging questions, while also providing a challenging and exciting experience. Makom designs educational programs, trainings, and materials that help make sense of how we can best “be a free people in our land.” Through deep explorations of freedom, peoplehood, security, and the land of Israel, our goal is to open up explorations into the possibilities that modern Jewish life affords.
Makom works in a wide-range of settings, from schools to camps, Hillels to Federations, and beyond. We’ve worked with more than 10,000 professionals and educators, leading trainings, trips, and more. Today, we also work directly with young adults who are seeking to delve into the complexity of Israel and the Jewish people.
Since then Makom’s call for complexity when engaging young adults with Israel – “Hugging and Wrestling” – has become the catchphrase of initiatives throughout the Jewish world. Many Jewish institutions have undergone transformations in their Israel engagement strategies, and the online materials available at makomisrael.org are a treasure chest of deep innovative Israel programming.
Makom offers strategic consultation to organizations and communities, and runs workshops and seminars on Israeli arts and culture, Israel in the Synagogue, Thinking Jewish Peoplehood, Working with Controversy, Reimagining Yom Ha’atzmaut, and much more. See Workshops and Seminars.
Makom now also works in France, Hungary, Israel, South Africa, and UK.
