About

Jewish Educational and Cultural Center Makor was established in 2005.

For years Russian-Jewish immigrant families in Greater Boston realized the existence of a tremendous need for quality Jewish educational and cultural programming. Young and elderly people alike believe that they are missing an integral part of their cultural heritage because there is no program solely dedicated to providing Jewish cultural and educational enrichment for them at a specific centralized community setting. With the closing of Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center in Brighton in December of 2004, this issue became even more pressing. In response to this need, several Boston area based Russian-Jewish community groups got together and after an extensive planning and community consultations Jewish Cultural and Educational Center Makor was born.

The Mission of the Center Makor is to stimulate and grow a strong Jewish identity through enthusiasm for the Jewish culture among the Russian Speaking Jews and integration with the mainstream Jewish community in Massachusetts.

Since Russian Jews are mostly unaffiliated with mainstream community institutions, this objective should be accomplished through their strong desire for Jewish culture and the need to educate their children about traditions of their ancestors, building pride for belonging to the Jewish nation in their identity.

Expanding upon the success of the Russian Jewish Community School 2001-2010, which is geared primarily for families with young (age 3-12) children, The Center is offering a plethora of new cultural opportunities and educational programs affecting nearly every segment of the Russian-speaking community. Center is open every day of the week except Shabbats and major Jewish holidays.

The Center “Makor” acts as a community center and provides space, technical assistance and help with organizing cultural events to numerous local Russian-Jewish organizations that also participate in the development of programs for Center Makor. Center Makor is supported by Combined Jewish Philanthropies and partnering with numerous Russian-speaking organizations.

Right now Center Makor is operating at Campus on 384 Harvard St. Brookline, MA 02446; there Center Makor became a part of a very new formation and partnership opportunity with more than ten different organizations residing at this Campus. The major partners are Congregation Kehillath Israel, Congregation Mishkan Tefila, Washington Square Minyan, “Yachad” and others. The idea of the Campus is coexistence and close partnership of different religious and non-religious formations under the same roof there each partner is treated equally and could keep it is own identity.