Hey Downtown Jewish Teens!

You are invited to a fun, cozy afternoon at Makom’s Teen Cafe! Join us to play board games, enjoy yummy snacks, create your own drinks at our DIY matcha bar, and hang out with new and old friends.

Sunday, April 26 | 4:00-5:30 pm – Makom (402 College St)

Teens of all Jewish identities are warmly welcome, including from interfaith/intercultural families and LGBTQ+. No Makom affiliation necessary. Feel free to bring friends!

Please note that this is an event for high school teens (grades 9-12) only.

Any questions? Contact Talia Levitt, Youth Programming Coordinator, at youth@makomto.org.

The post Apr 26: Makom Teen Cafe appeared first on Makom.

Every other Tuesday: Jan 13 & 27; Feb 10 & 24; Mar 10 & 24 (plus more dates after Passover)
7:00pm: Soup & Socializing
7:30-9:00pm: Learning
@Makom (map)
Register Now!

This is not a class, but a space for you to:

• Enjoy soup and socializing 7:00-7:30pm
• Choose a Jewish text that interests you – we have a wide variety, from weekly Torah portion to ethics, mysticism to law, and much more; or bring your own book
• Find a havruta (study partner) – come with a friend or we’ll help pair you with someone with a similar interest as you
• Sit and learn together – read aloud, ask each other questions, discuss, debate, and reflect

Rabbi Aaron will be your Torah concierge to help you pick a text that works for you, find a havruta, get started, and navigate any difficulties you encounter.

Everyone is welcome, no matter your Jewish learning background!

And of course, LGBTQ+ folks, interfaith couples, and people from interfaith backgrounds are always absolutely welcome.

This program is free. Please help us cover costs by donating when you register. 

Our recommended donation amounts are lower for current Makom members. Be part of the Makom community: become a Makom member now.

What’s a Beit Midrash?

Beit Midrash is usually translated as House of Study, a place in which people come together to learn, discuss, and debate Jewish texts of all sorts. But the root of the word “midrash” means searching. When we study Torah, we’re not just trying to comprehend it intellectually, but seeking meaning from it to apply in our lives. Hence, House of Searching.

Why is this important?

As Rabbi Aaron spoke about on Rosh Hashanah, it’s the Torah that gives meaning and substance to being Jewish.

The word Torah literally means “teaching.” It refers not only to the Torah itself (the 5 Books of Moses), but to any Jewish teaching. There are so many ways to learn Torah, whether by reading the parashah (weekly Torah portion), studying the rabbinic debates of the Mishnah and Talmud, examining halakhah (Jewish law), delving into kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), and on and on.

Torah can enlighten us.  It can teach us our people’s stories, about Jewish ritual and ethics, the world, each other, God, even ourselves.

Torah – in its fullest sense – is so vast and varied, there’s definitely something that’s just right for you to learn.

Who is this for?

Torah is for all of us! It’s not some secret knowledge just for certain people. As the Torah says about itself: כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ – “This thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (see Devarim 30:11-14). House of Searching is intended for all adults; high school teens are also welcome.

Donations & Sponsorships

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. You may sponsor in honour or memory of someone or to mark a special occasion.  Please connect with Rabbi Aaron if you’re interested in supporting this program in general or for a particular week.

Donations are tremendously helpful and greatly appreciated; if you’re able, please contribute.

Registration

The post Jan 13 & 27; Feb 10 & 24; Mar 10 & 24: House of Searching: the Downtown Beit Midrash appeared first on Makom.

Friday, Jan 9
6pm
@Makom
Register Now!

Wind down from the week and welcome Shabbat with soulful, song-filled services, in which everyone can participate.

After services, we’ll enjoy a delicious, catered kosher vegan Shabbat dinner and each other’s warm company.

Dinner registration required by Wednesday, January 7 at 10am.

No need to register if you’re coming just for services and not staying for dinner.

Become a Makom Member first and save 10%.

Please try to come on time for services at 6pm.

Services

Makom is a diverse and inclusive community that welcomes participants with many different approaches to Judaism, from secular to traditionally observant. Our services blend traditional and progressive practices, so our community can join together without regard to denominational labels.

We offer men’s, women’s, and mixed (all-genders) seating sections. All genders may lead parts of services. We need an egalitarian minyan of 10 Jews and a non-overlapping traditional minyan of 10 men to start the maariv service, so we encourage you to come on time.

Accessibility Information

Makom welcomes participants of all abilities. Makom’s main space is wheelchair accessible; unfortunately, the washroom and playroom are not. If you have an accessibility need or require any accommodations, please reach out to us.

Registration

The post Jan 9: Friday Night Services + Dinner appeared first on Makom.

Every other Tuesday: Oct 28, Nov 11 & 25, Dec 9
7:00pm: Soup & Socializing
7:30-9:00pm: Learning
@Makom (map)
Register Now!

This is not a class, but a space for you to:

• Enjoy soup and socializing 7:00-7:30pm
• Choose a Jewish text that interests you – we have a wide variety, from weekly Torah portion to ethics, mysticism to law, and much more; or bring your own book
• Find a havruta (study partner) – come with a friend or we’ll help pair you with someone with a similar interest as you
• Sit and learn together – read aloud, ask each other questions, discuss, debate, and reflect

Rabbi Aaron will be your Torah concierge to help you pick a text that works for you, find a havruta, get started, and navigate any difficulties you encounter.

Everyone is welcome, no matter your Jewish learning background!

And of course, LGBTQ+ folks, interfaith couples, and people from interfaith backgrounds are always absolutely welcome.

This program is free. Please help us cover costs by donating when you register. 

Our recommended donation amounts are lower for current Makom members. Be part of the Makom community: become a Makom member now.

What’s a Beit Midrash?

Beit Midrash is usually translated as House of Study, a place in which people come together to learn, discuss, and debate Jewish texts of all sorts. But the root of the word “midrash” means searching. When we study Torah, we’re not just trying to comprehend it intellectually, but seeking meaning from it to apply in our lives. Hence, House of Searching.

Why is this important?

As Rabbi Aaron spoke about on Rosh Hashanah, it’s the Torah that gives meaning and substance to being Jewish.

The word Torah literally means “teaching.” It refers not only to the Torah itself (the 5 Books of Moses), but to any Jewish teaching. There are so many ways to learn Torah, whether by reading the parashah (weekly Torah portion), studying the rabbinic debates of the Mishnah and Talmud, examining halakhah (Jewish law), delving into kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), and on and on.

Torah can enlighten us.  It can teach us our people’s stories, about Jewish ritual and ethics, the world, each other, God, even ourselves.

Torah – in its fullest sense – is so vast and varied, there’s definitely something that’s just right for you to learn.

Who is this for?

Torah is for all of us! It’s not some secret knowledge just for certain people. As the Torah says about itself: כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ – “This thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (see Devarim 30:11-14). House of Searching is intended for all adults; high school teens are also welcome.

Donations & Sponsorships

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. You may sponsor in honour or memory of someone or to mark a special occasion.  Please connect with Rabbi Aaron if you’re interested in supporting this program in general or for a particular week.

Donations are tremendously helpful and greatly appreciated; if you’re able, please contribute.

Registration

The post Oct 28; Nov 11 & 25; Dec 9: House of Searching: the Downtown Beit Midrash appeared first on Makom.

Friday, October 31
6pm
@Makom
Register now!

Wind down from the week and welcome Shabbat with soulful, song-filled services, in which everyone can participate. After services, we’ll enjoy a delicious, catered kosher vegan Shabbat dinner and each other’s warm company.

Dinner registration required by Wednesday, October 29 at 10am.

No need to register if you’re coming just for services and not staying for dinner.

Become a Makom Member first and save 10%.

Please try to come on time for services at 6pm.

Services

Makom is a diverse and inclusive community that welcomes participants with many different approaches to Judaism, from secular to traditionally observant. Our services blend traditional and progressive practices, so our community can join together without regard to denominational labels.

We offer men’s, women’s, and mixed (all-genders) seating sections. All genders may lead parts of services. We need an egalitarian minyan of 10 Jews and a non-overlapping traditional minyan of 10 men to start the maariv service, so we encourage you to come on time.

Accessibility Information

Makom welcomes participants of all abilities. Makom’s main space is wheelchair accessible; unfortunately, the washroom and playroom are not. If you have an accessibility need or require any accommodations, please reach out to us.

Registration

The post Oct 31: Friday night services + dinner appeared first on Makom.

Saturday, October 18
9:30am
@MNJCC (note unusual location!)
RSVP by Oct 16

Join us for soulful and song-filled Shabbat morning services, followed by a delicious Shabbat lunch, as we celebrate Itai Schwartz-Geller’s Bar Mitzvah!

We’ll meet at the Miles Nadal JCC, so as to accommodate more people than would fit in Makom’s cozy storefront. 

Supervised childcare will be provided in another room during services.

Registration required by Thursday, October 16 at 12 noon.

Thank you to the Schwartz-Geller family for sponsoring lunch in honour of Itai’s Bar Mitzvah! 

Registration

The post Oct 18: Shabbat Morning Services + Lunch appeared first on Makom.

A time to mourn and a time to dance

—Kohelet/Ecclesiastes 3:4

Tues, Oct 14
6-11pm
Register now

Please join Makom and Hillel UofT for an evening of mourning and dancing, crying and laughing, as we commemorate the second yahrtzeit (anniversary) of the Simhat Torah/Oct 7, 2023 attack on Israel and then celebrate the joyous holiday of Simhat Torah (rejoicing with the Torah upon completing its annual reading).

Schedule

6:00pm Doors open

6:15sharp Memorial ceremony of prayers, poems & songs to remember the victims of the attack and all those who have died in the ensuing war, pray for the release of the hostages, and pray for peace

7:00 Ma’ariv ~ evening service

7:15 Festive holiday dinner (catered, kosher & vegan)

8:30 Hakafot ~ singing and dancing with the Torah

10:30 Torah reading & conclusion of service

11:00 Goodnight!

Dinner registration required by Sunday, Oct 12 at 10am.

Dinner is generously sponsored and subsidized by Tamar Goldberg, Benjamin Miller, and Hatzkel in honour of the birth of Simcha Yona!

Please try to come on time for the memorial service at 6pm so as not to disrupt the service.

Why are we commemorating Oct 7 on Oct 14?

As a Jewish spiritual community, we mark time based on the Jewish lunar calendar. Therefore, we’ll be ritually commemorating the two-year anniversary of the attack on Israel and the start of the ensuing war on 22 Tishrei. This is the date of Shemini Atzeret and Simhat Torah, the holidays that were suddenly turned from joy to grief and celebration to mourning two years ago. This year, 22 Tishrei falls on Oct 14.

Services

Makom is a diverse and inclusive community that welcomes participants who espouse many different approaches to Judaism, from secular to traditionally observant.

In order to join together as one community without regard to denominational labels, our services blend traditional and progressive practices. We offer mixed (all-genders), women’s, and men’s seating sections. Women, men, and non-binary folks may lead parts of services. We’ll have three dancing circles (mixed, women’s & men’s), each with a Torah scroll.

Accessibility Information

Makom and Hillel UofT welcome participants of all abilities. The Wolfond Centre is fully wheelchair accessible, with an elevator and accessible washrooms. If you have an accessibility need or require any accommodations, please reach out to us.

Registration

The post Oct 14: A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance: Oct 7 Memorial + Simhat Torah Dinner & Dancing with the Torah appeared first on Makom.

Sun, Oct 12
5:30-7pm
Register now

Connect with other downtown Jewish families over dinner and crafts while celebrating Sukkot.

Bring your kids for a fun and relaxed community dinner in the sukkah (harvest holiday hut)! Families will learn about what makes a sukkah a sukkah, build an edible sukkah, get to shake lulav and etrog, and enjoy a yummy kosher dinner together.

5:30pm Dinner – order pizza or falafel

6:00        Learn what makes a sukkah a sukkah

                Make your own edible sukkah

                Shake lulav & etrog

6:45        Dessert

7:00         Goodnight

Registration required by October 12 at 12noon.

Donations are greatly appreciated and help us cover sukkah rental, staff time, etc.

Families of all Jewish identities are warmly welcome, including interfaith/intercultural and LGBTQ+. No Makom affiliation necessary.

Note: this program is geared for families with kids from infants up through grade 5.

Accessibility Information

Makom welcomes participants of all abilities. The Kiever’s sukkah is wheelchair accessible. However, the washroom is down a flight of stairs. If you have an accessibility need or require any accommodations, please reach out to us.

Location

Kiever Synagogue Sukkah, M5T 2N5

Registration

The post Oct 12: Makom Families: Pizza, Falafel & DIY Edible Sukkah! appeared first on Makom.

Join us for doubly-joyous services in the sukkah as we welcome the start of Shabbat during Sukkot!

Fri, Oct 10
6:15pm
@ the Kiever sukkah
Register now!

After services, we’ll enjoy a delicious, catered kosher vegan Shabbat dinner together in the sukkah.

Dinner registration required by Thursday, October 9 at 10am.

No need to register if you’re coming just for services and not staying for dinner.

Become a Makom Member first and save 10%.

Thank you to Green Economy Law for their generous sponsorship.

Arrive at 6:15pm to light candles, socialize, and find a seat. Services will start at 6:30pm.

Services

Makom is a diverse and inclusive community that welcomes participants with many different approaches to Judaism, from secular to traditionally observant. Our services blend traditional and progressive practices, so our community can join together without regard to denominational labels.

Services in the Sukkah will have men’s, women’s, and mixed (all genders) seating sections.

In the event of rain, services and dinner will be held inside the Kiever Synagogue and services will have only men’s and women’s seating sections, in keeping with the Kiever’s practice.All genders may lead parts of services. We need an egalitarian minyan of 10 Jews and a non-overlapping traditional minyan of 10 men to start the maariv service, so we encourage you to come on time.

Accessibility Information

Makom welcomes participants of all abilities. The Kiever’s sukkah is wheelchair accessible. However, the Kiever’s sanctuary is up a flight of stairs and their washroom is down a flight of stairs. If you have an accessibility need or require any accommodations, please reach out to us.

Registration

The post Oct 10: Friday Night/Sukkot Services & Dinner in the Sukkah appeared first on Makom.

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.

The post Sep 23-24 & Oct 1-2: High Holidays appeared first on Makom.