Welcome to Makom Shalom

Makom Shalom is a new forest synagogue in West Sonoma County, rooted in the Hebrew calendar and in living relationship with the land. We build a multi-generational community that honors rites of passage at all life stages, practices courageous conversations, and shows up for one another with mutual care and service. We invite you to bring your full, authentic self into a pluralistic community that sings, learns, and leads together. Join us in a Judaism that is joyful, embodied, and deeply rooted—nurturing belonging, resilience, and hope in changing times. 

Our Values

1. Sacred Jewish Rhythm

Gathering consistently according to Jewish sacred time to provide a heartbeat for community with a sense of grounding and belonging.

2. Earthbased Judaism

We practice a joyful Judaism in relationship with nature—gathering outdoors, honoring natural cycles, and cultivating earth-based Jewish ritual space. 

3. Embodied & Joyful Spirituality

We pray, sing, dance, and engage in ceremony with full expression to make spirituality visceral and joyful.

4. Intergenerational Community & Meaningful Rites of Passage

We honor all life stages and support rites of passage with transformative Jewish rituals that blend community, storytelling, and spiritual depth.

5. Courageous Conversations, Inner Work & Healing

We engage in the work to process hard and complex matters on personal, political and spiritual levels to be truly known and to deepen real relationships.

6. Tikkun Olam & Community Service

We engagie in community service to support those in need, partner locally, and live our values beyond ourselves.

7. Deeply Rooted Jewish Learning

We learn Torah, skills and Jewish wisdom to deepn our cultural roots, enliven ourselves, and cultivate a living, embodied, relevant Jewish life.

8. Shared Leadership & Creativity

We empower professional and lay leadership, providing members opportunities to step into their leadership, offer their gits, and share responsibilities.

9. Mutual Care & Resilience

We building support systems to care for one another in sickness, loss, or crisis, and share skills and resource to prepare for collective resilience.

FAQs

  • 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.

Makom Shalom Code of Conduct

Makom Shalom strives to create a sacred community grounded in Jewish wisdom and values, dedicated to personal growth, communal well-being, and connection to nature. We believe every individual deserves a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment, as free from harm and bias as possible.

This Code of Conduct applies to all individuals engaging in Makom Shalom ritual and program spaces, including clergy, participants, teachers, staff, board members and advisors, volunteers, and visitors. By gathering with us, you agree to uphold the principles outlined below.

Respect and Dignity: Honor the dignity of every individual within Makom Shalom spaces by maintaining the highest standards of personal and professional behavior. Treat everyone with respect, fostering an inclusive environment.

Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination: Any form of harassment, discrimination, violence, and any behavior that cross boundaries or undermine trust—be it verbal, physical, or visual—is strictly prohibited. Harassment based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any legally protected class is grounds for immediate action. Everyone in the Makom Shalom community is expected to maintain appropriate boundaries and act with integrity.

Speaking Up for Safety: If you witness or experience behavior inconsistent with this code, please speak up. Makom Shalom provides confidential channels for reporting concerns without fear of retaliation. Complaints about any behavior that violates this policy will be treated confidentially, investigated promptly, and resolved impartially.

Consequences for Violations: Makom Shalom reserves the right to deny participation or remove any individual who violates this Code of Conduct. Consequences will be commensurate with the severity of the offense and may include suspension or exclusion from activities, as well as involvement of appropriate authorities when necessary.

By agreeing to participate in Makom Shalom ritual and programs, all individuals commit to upholding this code and contributing to a safe, equitable, and respectful community, aligned with vision for connection to self, others, and the Earth.

  • In addition to Makom Shalom’s Code of Conduct, Makom Shalom’s rabbi, ordained by ALEPH, is additionally committed to and accountable to ALEPH’s Professional Code of Ethics.

  • We encourage you to give feedback. Please submit your feedback using the contact us form on this page.

  • We are committed to creating a system of accountability for our synagogue community. We will be developing this part of our organization over the next few months, and we encourage you to get involved. Please contact us using the form on this page if you’d like to be a part of this vital conversation.

Contact us.

Please reach toward us and let us hear your voice. We welcome your feedback and look forward to connecting.