A central innovation of Machon Micah is the all-community celebrations of Jewish holidays.  The celebrations follow the Jewish calendar and the entire congregation gathers to celebrate, learn and share a meal.  Each event has learning opportunities for all ages, study sessions for the young students, and time for eating, singing, and fun activities. 

It is a significant change to open learning up to the entire congregation and to reorganize Jewish learning to follow the Jewish calendar.  The institute attracts families with young children, families with school aged children, singles, empty nesters, and senior citizens. The resounding feedback from adults without school aged children is that they feel Machon Micah truly is a program for them as well as for families with young children.

Those parents who do have school aged children feel a deeper sense of family involvement, connection to the community, and a more profound spiritual and intellectual Jewish experience. Children say that Machon Micah is exciting, and they like being part of the larger community where their parents are involved.  "It isn't boring, it doesn't feel like school," reports one student.