Are you looking for an innovative way to connect your students with Israel? Check out MAKOM – The Israel Engagement Network website’s Rap Israel at:
http://www.makomisrael.net/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/
Strategic+Partnerships/Makom/Arts/Music/.
Here MAKOM suggests that Israeli culture not only tells us a huge amount about Israeli society but it can also inform who we are as Jews living outside of Israel. The program compares five Israeli ‘classic’ songs and their current updated versions to understand the development and changes in Israeli society.  Included are lyrics, links and guidelines for activities.

What is MAKOM?
In 2004 North American Jewish communities and the Jewish Agency began a partnership now called MAKOM – the Israel Engagement Network.  Through this network MAKOM has succeeded in laying intellectual groundwork and inspiring new initiatives that have significantly advanced the field of Israel education.  UJA Federation of Greater Toronto is one of the leading thirteen Federations now part of this network. 

MAKOM and Young Emissaries
If you work in, or are a member of the following institutions: Beth Tzedec, Holy Blossom, Darchei Noam, Beth David, Temple Sinai, Leo Baeck, USDS,  Bialik, and Heschel you may well meet and possibly even work with 8 Young Emissaries from Israel.  MAKOM has brought these Young Emissaries; pre-army young adults, who have chosen to volunteer an additional year of service to the Jewish people. They come with lots of informal education experience, great ideas, lots of knowledge of Israeli society and culture and will be working in supplementary schools and in different programs within the synagogue as well as spending 3 days a week in the day schools.  

How do I find out more?
Sarah Mali can tell you all about it – and more. As Director of MAKOM, Sarah is working through the Mercaz with the goal of making Israel a more significant part of the identity of Jews in Toronto.