Calling all Jewish high school teens!
Come connect with other downtown Jewish teens, enjoy some pizza and learn about the holiday of Sukkot, all in a sukkah (holiday hut).
When: Wednesday, October 12, 6 – 8pm
Where: Location to be sent upon registration
Have questions? Please reach out to Rabbi Aaron.
Please register by October 12 at 12pm.
Bring your kids for a fun and relaxed community dinner in the Sukkah!
When: Wednesday, October 12, 5:45 – 7pm
Where: Kiever Synagogue Sukkah, 25 Bellevue Avenue (map)
Families will learn about lulav and etrog, do a quick craft, and enjoy a yummy kosher dinner together.
Please register by October 12 at 12pm.
Sun, Sept 18
11:30am-1:30pm
@Applewood Farm (in Stouffville, map)
Free – donations greatly appreciated!
Registration Required
Bring in a sweet new year with apples you picked yourself.
Get out of the city and into the beautiful countryside for a community picnic; fun & meaningful Rosh Hashanah preparation for kids; and local apple picking!
11:30 Bring your own picnic lunch
12:15 Rosh Hashanah story & outdoor game for school-aged kids
1:00 Pick your own apples.
The orchard charges a $10 admission fee per person age 3+; kids 2 and under are free.
The admission fee includes one pick your own pumpkin or squash per paid entry (while quantities last).
The picked apples are charged per bag, so remember to fill your bags all the way up.
(bags are provided)
Bring Your Own picnic lunch, blanket, water bottle & bags to take home your apples.
Organize carpools on Makom’s Facebook group.
**Cancelled in event of rain.**
Wed, Sept 21
6-7pm
@Makom’s Backyard (map)
Free – donations greatly appreciated!
Registration Required
Learn to blow shofar!
In this outdoor workshop, you’ll learn:
Taught by Makom’s shofar blower, Chaim Grafstein, and Rabbi Aaron.
No experience necessary; everyone is welcome!
If you have a shofar, please bring it. We’ll have a few to share (sanitizing between uses).
Sat, Sept 17
9-11pm
@Makom (map)
Free – donations greatly appreciated!
Registration Required
Let’s conclude Shabbat together with a joyous, musical havdalah and then kick off the High Holiday season with a singalong to learn stirring High Holiday melodies, followed by the powerful prayers of Selihot.
9:00pm Havdalah
9:15pm High Holiday Tunes Singalong
10:00pm Selihot Service
Selihot are special penitential prayers recited on the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. They’re also a great opportunity to learn some of the prayers and melodies we’ll use on those Days of Awe.
Because we’ll be singing indoors, high-quality masks (KN-95, KF-94, etc.) and proof of triple vaccination for ages 12+ (double vax for kids 5-11) will be required. Makom will provide masks for those who don’t have.
Thurs, Sept 15 & 29
7:00-8:30pm
@Makom (map)
Free – donations greatly appreciated!
Registration Required
Looking to meet people to learn language with? Wondering how to say “hello” in Hindi, Judaeo-Arabic, Mandarin, Russian, or Yiddish? Join us for a language exchange!
We know our community is rich with knowledge of languages from around the world, so we’re coming together to share that wealth in a relaxed and friendly environment.
No previous knowledge required!
Any Qs? Email Benjamin.
Surgical or better-quality masks required to be worn. (Makom will provide for those who don’t have.)
Sun, Sept 18
4-6pm
@Dunn Avenue Parkette – 185 Close Ave (near Queen & Dufferin)
Free
Registration Required
During the month of Elul, a time for personal and communal reflection and teshuvah (repentance) leading up to the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), please join us for an important, interactive program on Indigenous history, colonization, and reconciliation that fosters truth, understanding, and respect.
All adults and children 8+ are warmly encouraged to participate.
Created in 1997 by Indigenous people and allies, the Blanket Exercise was intended to introduce Canadians and Indigenous peoples to findings from the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples (RCAP) and major historical events in Canadian history in relation to settler-Indigenous relations and legislation.
This popular cultural tool, later known as the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, is built on relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to raise awareness of continuing injustices and impacts of colonization, and to promote further learning.
The script has been updated numerous times to reflect current events, including most recently the final reports of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
In the event of rain, we’ll meet in the nearby Parkdale Library auditorium. If we’re indoors, masks and proof of triple vaccination for ages 12+ (double vax for kids 5-11) will be required. The library, auditorium, and washrooms are all wheelchair accessible.
We’ll be led by Dawn T. Maracle, who is Mohawk, sits with the Bear Clan, and lives in Toronto. Dawn is an award-winning diversity community organizer, facilitator, cultural advisor, consultant, and curriculum writer.
Please plan to join us back at Hart House for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. We look forward to safely celebrating, reflecting, and singing our way through the Days of Awe together with you! (Please read about our Covid precautions, including mask, vaccine and booster requirements.) Registration opens to Makom members later this summer.
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 and Carrie Watkins. Our Youth Director Ariel Zaltzman will run the family services, 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 once it opens. (We won’t be selling separate High Holiday tickets.)
You can become a Makom Member no matter your financial circumstances. Due to the pandemic, we’ve lowered our regular and reduced membership rates. It’s a core Makom value that finances should never be an impediment to Jewish life, so if neither of those amounts is feasible for you, please pay what you can.
If you can afford to contribute more than the regular membership rate, please become a supporting or sustaining member to help keep our community going strong.
All Makom Membership donations are fully tax deductible.
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 you 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 the Jewish 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: This year, we won’t be selling separate High Holiday tickets. Instead, registration will be open only to Makom members. 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 reduced 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: Please see our Covid precautions for High Holidays (including mask, vaccine and booster requirements).
Tues, Aug 30
7:30-9:00pm
@Christie Pits Park
Free – donations greatly appreciated!
Registration Required
Looking to meet people to learn language with? Wondering how to say “hello” in Hindi, Judaeo-Arabic, Mandarin, Russian, or Yiddish? Join us for a language exchange!
We know our community is rich with knowledge of languages from around the world, so we’re coming together to share that wealth in a relaxed and friendly environment. And we’ll provide snacks.
No previous knowledge required!
If people want, there will be an opportunity to plan future get-togethers for deeper learning.
Any Qs? Email Benjamin.
Fri, Aug 19
7-9pm
@Bickford Park (map)
Free – donations greatly appreciated!
Registration Required
Gather in the great outdoors (of downtown TO) to wind down from the week and welcome Shabbat with soulful and song-filled services, followed by a picnic Shabbat dinner!
Brought to you by Makom & Annex Shul
B.Y.O. Dinner, Plate, Utensils, Napkin, Water bottle, Blanket, etc.
(Please note that this is NOT a potluck.)
We’ll provide grape juice for kiddush & rolls for ha-motzi.
OPTIONAL items to bring:
We’ll have separate sections for women’s, men’s, and mixed (all genders) seating. Since we’ll be outdoors and not in a regular prayer space, there won’t be curtains between these sections.
Children are welcome and must be registered as well.
Please note that washrooms should be open, based on information from the Parks Department, but cannot be guaranteed.
In the event of rain, services will be held indoors at Makom (402 College) with masking and vaccination required; picnic will be cancelled.