Join us to welcome in the new 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
- 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
- Sacred chanting on Yom Kippur evening and afternoon
High Holiday Dates 2023
- Havdalah, Days of Awe singalong + Selichot services — Sat, Sept 9
- Rosh Hashanah – Sat, Sept 16 – Sun, Sept 17
- Yom Kippur – Sun eve, Sept 24 – Mon, Sept 25
Please join us at Hart House for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We look forward to celebrating, reflecting, and singing our way through the Days of Awe together with you!
Registration is open to Makom members. We’ll send a High Holiday registration form to everyone who signs up for (or renews) their Makom membership.
High Holidays with Makom
Our uplifting, inspiring High Holiday offerings will include traditional services, family services, chanting, and meditation.
Traditional services will be led jointly by Rabbi Aaron Levy, Carrie Watkins, Adam Miller, and Sarah Eligberg. Our Youth Director Racheli Mandelker will run the family services, Alon Nashman will lead chanting, and meditation will be guided by Ari Kaplan.
Makom Membership includes High Holiday seats along with other perks throughout the year, and is available for adults, children, and teens. Everyone who signs up as a member will receive a link to the High Holidays registration form. (We won’t be selling separate High Holiday tickets.)
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 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.
We look forward to welcoming 5784 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 will 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: High Holiday registration is open only to Makom members. (We don’t sell separate High Holiday tickets.) 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.
Q: Will services be accessible?
A: Services will be held at Hart House, which has step-free access from street level, and has an elevator. Please note that due to construction, there may be limited parking nearby.
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 will keep windows open for increased ventilation. We ask that you stay home if you or anyone in your household has 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.