Join us to welcome in the new Jewish year!
Everyone is welcome at our song-filled, participatory, inspiring High Holiday services in downtown Toronto. Join us for a warm, spiritual, and meaningful experience: the perfect kick-off to the Jewish year!
Makom has something for everyone, including:
- Traditional services for both mornings of Rosh Hashanah and all of Yom Kippur, and the first night of selichot
- Childcare at all times during services for kids age 18 months to 12 years
- Family services in the mornings of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (separate services aimed at families with infants through kindergarteners, and families with kids in grades 1-5)
- Meditation on Yom Kippur afternoon
Traditional services will be led jointly by Rabbi Aaron Levy, Sarah Eligberg, and Adam Miller. Makom’s Director of Education and Youth Programming, Sarah English, will lead the Family and Youth services.
All of our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services take place in downtown Toronto, near Spadina and Harbord.
High Holiday tickets are included with membership; we’ll send instructions for accessing Member tickets on the High Holiday registration form to everyone who signs up for (or renews) their Makom membership.
Your membership contributions help to sustain Makom throughout the year, allowing us to keep providing meaningful Shabbat & holiday experiences, Torah study, and fun, engaging programming for hundreds of kids and adults every year. Members get a discount on Shabbat meals and other perks throughout the year.
You can become a Makom Member no matter your financial circumstances. It’s a core Makom value that finances should never be an impediment to Jewish life, so our suggested membership contributions are on a sliding scale based on income — and if the suggested amounts are not feasible for you, please pay what you can.
If you can afford to contribute more than the suggested membership rate, please top up your membership donation to help keep our community going strong.
All Makom Membership donations are fully tax deductible.
Non-members may purchase tickets here.
We look forward to celebrating, reflecting, and singing our way through the Days of Awe together with you!
High Holidays FAQ
Q: What do Traditional Services look like at Makom?
A: Makom’s Traditional Services are joyous and uplifting. We encourage you to participate by singing out loud! (Whether or not you read Hebrew, you can join in by singing “nay nay nay” or drumming on your chair.)
Our Traditional Services are in Hebrew, following the Koren-Sacks Nusach Sefard machzor. Men and women lead different parts of the services, and we’ll have three seating sections: women’s, men’s, and mixed (all-gender), separated by a low curtain.
Q: Do I need to bring my own Machzor (High Holiday prayer book)?
A: You do not need to bring your own Machzor as we have them available. We use the Koren-Sacks Nusach Sefard machzor, which has Hebrew text and English translation and commentary.
Q: Why do you use Nusach Sefard?
Nusach Sefard includes elements of both Ashkenazi and Sephardi liturgy, and has traditionally been used by synagogues in downtown Toronto.
Q: What do Family Services look like at Makom?
A: Family Services will take place in the morning on each day of Rosh Hashanah and on Yom Kippur. They will involve songs, stories, and fun activities.
There will be two separate Family Services on each day. One will be geared to kids age 0-5, and the other to kids age 6-10.
Q: Do I need to be a member to attend High Holiday services at Makom?
A: We encourage everyone to become a Makom member, and join us throughout the year for services, Torah study, holiday celebrations, and more. You can see our rates and sign up for membership here. It’s a core Makom value that finances should never be an impediment to Jewish life, so if our suggested membership rate is not feasible for you, please pay what you can.
If membership doesn’t make sense for you — for example, you’re just visiting Toronto for the High Holidays — you can purchase non-member tickets here.
Q: Will services be accessible?
A: The building has step-free access from street level. All services, programs, and childcare will be on the 2nd floor, which is accessible by elevator.
Q: What should I wear?
A: You don’t need to dress formally (unless you’d like to). Wear something that seems nice and/or holy to you, and will be comfortable and conducive for standing, sitting, lots of singing, and bowing.
Q: What are your Covid precautions?
A: We ask that you stay home if you have developed a confirmed or suspected case of Covid within the last 10 days. Masks are now optional at Makom services; we continue to provide masks for those who wish to wear them.
Registration
High Holiday tickets are free for Makom members.
Already a member? Check your email for the link to unlock your free Member tickets.
