At Makom Shalom, we follow a heart-centered approach to Judaism that emphasizes the spiritual depth of Jewish rituals and authenticity in human relationships. Inspired by the cycles of nature and grounded in the Hebrew calendar, we connect with the ebb and flow of life's sacred moments. Our approach emphasizes embodied joy, spiritual expression, and meaningful rites of passage across all life stages, rooted in a commitment to learning and shared leadership. We also prioritize courageous conversations, learning ancestral skills, and community service to foster creating a resilient, caring environment where spiritual growth and mutual support flourish.

Makom Shalom is a pluralistic community that strives to welcome Jews and non-Jews across our many intersecting identities, including race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age, religiosity, nationality, etc.. We strive to make room for everyone to show up as their full selves, authentically, with a commitment to nurturing resilience, spiritual depth, and mutual care. 

We hope that you will become a member of Makom Shalom and join us throughout the year. Generously giving to Makom Shalom is more than a transaction; it is a sacred act of reciprocity rooted in our ancient tradition of tithing. Inspired by Peah, leaving a corner of the field for the hungry, this practice encourages us to give a portion of our income to nourish and sustain the community that nourishes us in return, fostering a spiritual connection centered on generosity and mutual care.

In this inaugural year, memberships include children, and we invite you to consider a membership contribution for them also. Sliding scale for membership is $500- $5,000. Consider becoming a founding member of our community.  Actual costs are approximately $1200 per adult and $600 for children participating in the childcare and youth programming during our shabbat and holiday events. We encourage you all to give generously to support the launch of this nourishing community.  

Generously giving to Makom Shalom is more than a transaction; it is a sacred act of reciprocity rooted in our ancient tradition of tithing. Inspired by Peah, leaving a corner of the field for the hungry, this practice encourages us to give a portion of our income to nourish and sustain the community that nourishes us in return, fostering a spiritual connection centered on generosity and mutual care.

This is still a very new part of our proposed offering, and we welcome anyone that would like to be a part of its development by joining our youth and family committee. Please contact cpenrose@makomshalom.org

Yes, you can pay a la carte to attend Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur, but we encourage you to become a member. Rosh Hashana tickets will be $175 and Yom Kippur will be $225. Membership is sliding scale, between $500 and $5000 in this inaugural year. Become one of our founding members!

We welcome anyone that would like to be a part of the development of our youth program. We’re currently assessing the need of our community to determine what the best offering will be.

Makom Shalom is newly launching community programs. B’Mitzvah rites of passage are at the heart of village and we aspire to launch a B’Mitzvah rite of passage in 2026.

In the meantime, if you and your family have a need, we are very open to finding a way to offer personalized B’Miizvah rites with Rabbi Zelig Golden. Please contact him to explore this possibility: zelig@makomshalom.org

At Makom Shalom, we provide a Jewish home in West Sonoma County dedicated to peace, wholeness, and the sacred work of community.

Our hearts break as we witness unbearable pain in the Middle East. We pray for the end of violence and bloodshed, holding fast to the truth that every human being is created b’tzelem Elohim—in the image of the Divine.

Through Makom Shalom we cultivate a community where grief and love, across ideological differences, coexist in hope and prayer. Like a human being who holds opposing parts of oneself, we create a community that compassionately holds diverse perspectives without collapsing into division.

Practically, Makom Shalom as an organization refrains from taking political positions in deference to a commitment to nurture resilience, spiritual depth, and mutual care. We aspire to be a home where people can root into Jewish tradition, share their full selves, engage in the most challenging conversations, and grow toward new expressions of wholeness together. To that end, we will proactively facilitate dialogue about the most difficult issues of our time, including the turmoil in Israel/Palestine. 

Makom Shalom means “Place of Peace.” We know peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of connection, awareness, compassion, and wrestling with Divinity together. In these troubled times, we dedicate ourselves to building a home that embodies these values—for our community, for our people, and for all who long for healing.