Makom is a grassroots Jewish community organization in Toronto that has been operating since 2009. It provides various Jewish programming including weekly Shabbat services, meditation sessions, women's circles, and family activities. The summary outlines Makom's growth over time, including doubling its annual programming, growing its annual revenue sevenfold to over $73,000 by 2011, and increasing total donations received by 643% between 2009-2011 through expanding its donor base. Makom has accomplished much in its first few years to build a vibrant and engaged Jewish community in downtown Toronto.

2. Makom: Creative
Downtown Judaism
COMMUNITY MEETING
PRESENTATION
22 JANUARY 2012

3. Makom 101

4. Makom Timeline
 Jan 16, 2009: First Friday night service held at Kiever
Synagogue. 80 people showed up!
 May 2009: Aaron initiated “Launch Team.” First met
May 24, 2009
 Summer 2009: Environmental scan/informal needs
assessment process begins
 Aug 31, 2009: Makom name and mission announced
 Aug 2010: Community focus groups held
 Sept 8, 2010: Makom logo unveiled
 Oct 23, 2010: First community-participant-initiated
Neshamah: Meditation & Contempl. Judasim session
 Oct 2010: First Canadian org. ever listed in Slingshot!

5. Makom Timeline, Cont.’d
 Nov 6, 2010: First community-participant-initiated Women’s
Rosh Hodesh Circle
 Dec 2010: Natan Fund’s Emerging Models of Jewish
Connection Grant for Jewish Time/Local Landscapes holiday
programs with Shoresh
 Dec 2010: BYFI Alumni Venture Fund Grant for DIY Judaism
workshop series
 Dec 2010: YCT Rabbinical School Start-Up Community Grant
 June 2011: Community-participant-initiated young family
programming
 Oct 2011: Community survey conducted
 TONIGHT: First Makom Community Meeting!

6. Makom’s Mission and Purpose
Makom – meaning place or space in
Hebrew – is a joyous, grassroots,
downtown community, building
traditional and progressive Jewish life
in Toronto since 2009.
Makom creates an inclusive and diverse community, committed to
Jewish learning, arts and culture, spirited prayer and ritual, and social
and environmental activism.
We are breathing new life into the downtown spaces that were once
the hub of Toronto Jewish life.
We have bi-weekly Friday night services and Sat. afternoon
meditation. We meet monthly for a Women’s Rosh Hodesh circle and
young families programming, and provide regular Jewish holiday
programming.

7. Who is Makom? Part I: Demographics
 Average and median age is 33
 44% are single, 46% are married or
cohabitating
 35% have kids
 64% were female
 95% currently live in the GTA
 59% grew up in the GTA and 21% in other
parts of Canada

8. Who is Makom? Part II: Jewish Connection
 71% said they generally identified politically
as liberal/progressive
 71% said they felt very connected to Israel
 43% said they felt connected to the Toronto
Jewish community
 30% said neither connected nor disconnected and 26% said
they felt distant
 38% of survey respondents reported no
other regular synagogue attendance.

9. Who is Makom? Part III: Jewish Identity
Current Growing Up
Culturally Jewish 30% 25%
Post-Denominational 30% 3%
Conservative 21% 46%
Just Jewish 21% 7%
Orthodox 13% 14%
Secular 10% 16%
Reconstructionist 9% 4%
Israeli 8% 6%
Queer Jewish 7% 0%
Reform 7% 19%
Not Jewish 2% 6%

10. Makom’s Impact and Reach
 38% of participants don’t attend any other shul
 26% feel distant from greater Toronto Jewish
community
 Targeted downtown, but participants also come from
Thornhill and Hamilton
 Seen as a leader in innovative (Jewish) community in
Toronto and around the world
 482 Twitter followers
 362 Facebook group members and 151 page followers
 1,070 email list
 Lots of media attention

11. Makom’s Accomplishments
ORGANIZATIONAL
PROGRAMMATIC
FINANCIAL

12. Organizational Accomplishments
 Establishment of “Launch Team”
 Transition of “Launch Team” and transition into “Leadership
Team”
 Hiring of Rabbi Aaron part-time 2010, full-time 2011
 Planning Process/Needs Assessment
 Environmental Scan
 Focus Groups
 Survey
 Starting Downtown Jewish Play School
 Permit process, insurance, hiring of 2 teachers
 Not-For-Profit Incorporation
 Charity status planning

13. Makom Leadership Team Roles
 Felicia Brooker, Fundraising
 Miriam Kramer, Planning, Strategy and Measurement
 Aaron Levy, ex-officio/staff representative
 Ruth Matthews, President
 Lisa Rosen, Makom Families
 Louise Smith, Treasurer and Charity Status
 Andrea Toole, Secretary, Communications and Website
Past members (Thank you! Thank you!):
Sarah Brodbar-Nemzer, Adam Cohen, Orit Sarfaty,
Tema Smith

14. Makom Staff and Volunteers
Makom Staff
 Aaron Levy, Rabbi and Director
 Leah Breslow, Play School Hebrew Immersion Teacher
 Sarah Brodbar-Nemzer, Play School Jewish Content Teacher
Makom Program Volunteers
 Sharry Aiken, Play School Coordinator
 Avi Craimer, Neshamah: Meditation & Contemplative Judaism
 Annie Gilbert & Naomi Tessler, Women’s Rosh Hodesh Circle
 Stuart Lithwick, Friday Night Set-Up Volunteer Coordinator

15. Environmental Scan
 Researched 15 lay-led and rabbi-led independent
minyanim as well as “interesting” shuls in US and Israel
 Key informant interviews with Board members and staff
 Scanned websites
 Topics included:
 Organizational/Board structure and by-laws
 Mission, purpose and reach
 Budgets and funding
 Membership
 Programming
 Planning and evaluation

16. Programmatic Accomplishments
 Since Makom’s inception, we have offered a total of 202
programs!
 We have doubled our monthly and total annual program
offerings in just three years!
 Many Jews have connected with our diversity of programs.
Since our inception, Makom programs have logged a grand
total of more than 8,500 participant visits:
 Holiday programs attract an average of 70 people per program.
 Monthly Women’s Rosh Hodesh Circle gathers an average of 23 ppl.
 Bi-weekly Neshamah meditation involves 7 people on average.
 Bi-weekly Friday night services bring out an average of 48 people.
 Our new Makom Families programs average 55 participants.

17. Program Growth
2009 2010 2011 Total
Friday Night Services 22 22 25 69
Other Shabbat 7 8 10 25
Holiday 13 18 19 50
Neshamah Meditation 0 4 24 28
Women's Rosh Hodesh Gathering 0 2 12 14
Local Social Activism & Education 1 0 1 2
Israel Social Activism & Education 3 1 0 4
Environmental Activism & Education 5 10 5 20
Jewish Learning 6 5 16 27
Arts & Culture 7 12 11 30
Families w/ Kids 0 1 8 9
Total 47 63 92 202

18. Financial Accomplishments
 Makom’s annual revenue has doubled since last
year and grown nearly 7x since 2009.
 Makom’s annual expenses grew by more than
1,300% in three years.
 Makom’s total donations increased by 643% in
just three years, from $5,600 to $42,000!
During that time, number of foundations giving to
Makom has grown.
However, between 2010 and 2011, the number of
individual donors slightly decreased and the
median gift amount also decreased.

19. Revenue Growth: 2009-2011
$80,000 $73,629 Teaching & Lifecycle
$70,000 Events
$60,000 Playschool
$50,000 Tzedakah
$40,000 $36,601
Program Fees
$30,000
$20,000 Grants
$11,133
$10,000 Family Foundations
$0
Individual Donors
2009 2010 2011

20. Expense Growth: 2009-2011
$100,000 $94,832
$90,000
$80,000
$70,000 Tzedakah
Fundraising
$60,000
Marketing
$50,000
Administrative
$40,000
Playschool
$30,000
$20,000
$17,733 Programs
$10,000
$6,706 Salaries
$0
2009 2010 2011

21. Fundraising Growth: 2009-2011
$60,000
$51,023
$50,000
$42,041
$40,000
$32,410 Grants
$30,000 $29,972 Foundation Donations
Individual Donations
$20,000 Total Donations
Total Fundraising
$10,000 $5,657
$5,657
$0
2009 2010 2011

22. Makom Individual Donations: 2009-2011
2009-11 2010-11
2009 2010 2011
change change
Total Individual
$2,657 $20,972 $20,841 684% -1%
Donor Gifts
# Indiv. Donors 28 74 72 157% -3%
Mean Gift Indiv.
$95 $283 $289 205% 2%
Donors
Median Gift Indiv.
$65 $120 $100 55% -17%
Donors
Min. Gift Indiv.
$5 $16 $18 260% 13%
Donors
Max. Gift Indiv.
$360 $2,500 $3,000 733% 20%
Donors

23. Makom Foundation Donations: 2009-2011
2009-11 2010 -11
2009 2010 2011
change change
Tot. Fdn. Gifts $3,000 $9,000 $21,200 607% 136%
# Foundations 1 2 5 400% 150%
Mean Gift
$3,000 $4,500 $4,240 41% -6%
Fdns.
Median Gift
$3,000 $4,500 $5,000 67% 11%
Fdns.
Min. Gift Fdns. $3,000 $4,000 $300 -90% -93%
Max. Gift Fdns. $3,000 $5,000 $10,000 233% 100%

24. Community Feedback

25. Focus Group Summary Report
 20 individuals participated in two focus groups in Aug 2010
 Affirmation of mission statement
 “My Jewish community/home”
 Warm, inclusive, diverse
 Creative, interesting, what I am looking for Jewishly
 Desire for increased programming
 Makom should be rabbi-led and Rabbi Aaron should remain the
spiritual leader
 Desire/need to sustain Makom financially
 Need/desire for continued conversations, including specifics on
halakhic policy-making
 More opportunities for community involvement/desire among
participants to increase involvement
 More community awareness of the Board and how Makom works

26. Community Survey Report
 October 2011
 175 completed surveys
 55-questions, including some open ended
 Programming
 Satisfaction
 Participation and Involvement
 Communication
 Location
 Demographics

27.  47% thought Makom had
the right amount of
Programming programming to meet their
needs.
 61% said Makom provided
the types of programming
they sought.
 Participants were
overwhelmingly satisfied
with the programs they
attend.

28. Program Attendance and Satisfaction
Program Attended Satisfied
Friday evening services 73% 83%
Friday evening services with
66% 71%
drums/instruments
Friday evening potluck kiddush 66% 72%
Friday evening potluck dinners 46% 73%
Saturday morning services 23% 56%

29. Program Attendance and Satisfaction (Cont’d)
Program Attended Satisfied
Holiday programs 62% 82%
Holiday meals 49% 79%
Arts programming 40% 78%
Educational programming 52% 82%
Jewish urban homesteading
22% 75%
workshops
Neshamah: Meditation &
20% 62%
Contemplative Judaism
Downtown Women’s Rosh Hodesh
25% 67%
Circle

30. Friday Night Services
 22% attend regularly (monthly more more)
 84% reported regularly attending “to be involved in a
community”
 51% to engage in spirituality/musical prayer
 44% to engage in meaningful prayer
 42% to see friends/people my own age
 34% attend a few times a year; 44%
rarely/never
 51% family or work obligations prevented them from attending
more regularly or at all
 44% have issues with type of service
 32% not close enough to home
 23% attend other shuls
 17% not interested in Friday night services at all

31. Other Programming
 48% attend several times a year
 79% to be involved in a community
 71% to engage in Jewish arts and culture
 57% to celebrate Jewish holidays
 43% to engage in Jewish learning
 21% to see my friends/people my age
 52% rarely or never attend
 27% don’t live nearby
 25% lack of interest
 23% participate in other communities
 19% family commitments

32. How Important is it that Makom have
the Following Programs?
Regular Jewish learning opportunities 84%
Regular arts/cultural programs 78%
Regular social programs and opportunities 77%
Regular social activism opportunities 74%
Regular prayer services 74%
Regular spiritual opportunities (other than services) 67%
Regular environmental activism opportunities 66%
Yom Kippur services 65%
Rosh Hashanah services 64%
Regular dinners after services 57%
Regular family-oriented programs 53%

33.  50% reported being
somewhat involved in
Participation
Involvement
Makom
 19% very involved
 41% uninvolved
 58% would like to become
&
more involved.
 42% would like to remain at
current involvement level.
 No one said would like to
become less involved.

34. Current Involvement in /Relationship to Makom
Makom is my Jewish community 45%
Makom creates a sense of community for me 72%
Makom is in line with my religious beliefs 52%
Makom is in line with my political outlook 67%
I understand how Makom makes decisions 28%
Makom provides the right amount of opportunities
53%
for leadership involvement
I am looking for more ways to help Makom 35%

35. How Important is the Following?
An open and inclusive ambiance 100%
A diverse community 95%
An open and nuanced approach to Israel 70%
Completely equal roles for men and women 65%
Progressive/left-leaning politics 61%
All events have only certified kosher food 46%
Mixed seating during services 43%
Women leading KS and men leading Ma'ariv 38%
All events have only vegetarian food 33%
A mehitzah during services 28%

36. Membership/Annual Dues
 61% supported Makom having
membership
 18% opposed
 21% were neutral
 72% responded favourably to a
volunteer component
 Respondents overwhelmingly hated the
idea of a participation requirement

37. Median and Avg. Suggested Membership Dues
Median Average
Active participants $175 $150
Not opposed to
$150 $169
membership
Total completes $100 $147
Active participants
not opposed to $150 $175
membership

38. Communication
 82% first heard of Makom from friends, family or
word of mouth
 94% hear about Makom events on an ongoing basis
from the email, 27% from Facebook and 21% from
friends/word of mouth
 Comments about not knowing enough about
financials or Board workings
 Some comments about not knowing about breadth of
programs that we offer (surprised to see such a long
list on the survey)

39. Location
 58% like meeting in Rochelle’s Studio/Mon Ton
Window Gallery Space
 24% dislike; 18% neutral
 85% think it’s important that Makom be held
downtown
 39% think it’s important that Makom be held at the
Kiever Synagogue
 31% neutral; 30% unimportant
 24% in Kensington Market
 40% neutral; 36% unimportant

40. Moving Makom Forward
PROGRAMMATICALLY
ORGANIZATIONALLY
FINANCIALLY

41. Programmatic Plan 2012
 Continue current level of programming (average 8
programs per month)
 2 Friday night services
 2 Meditations
 1 Women’s Rosh Hodesh Circle
 1 Makom Families
 2 Other (Holiday, Arts, Social Justice, Enviro., Learning)
 Expand Downtown Jewish Play School
 Expand High Holiday offerings
 Continue joint holiday programs with Shoresh
funded through grant from Natan

42. Financial Plan 2012
 Stable base of funding from community participants
 Raise additional $18,000 from this effort
 Increased funding from Family Foundations and Grants
 Raise additional $3,800
 Makom Families and Play School
 Other
 Immediate funding priorities
 Stable salary for Rabbi Aaron
 Longer-term funding needs
 Hire PT Director of Operations
 Office Space

43. Introduction of Makom Shareholders
 Akin to a co-op or community supported
agriculture program
 Participants, both active and infrequent,
will be asked to support Makom by
becoming shareholders.
 Annual funding for Makom, collected early
in calendar year.
 2012campaign begins in Feb. (Rosh Hodesh
Adar)

44. Rationale for Makom Shareholders
 Necessary for financial stability of organization
 Community feedback showed support for stable
funding for Makom, but many didn’t like concept
of membership/exclusivity
 Need shareholder/members for our charitable
status to elect BOD and vote on important
decisions
 Historical precedent in Mahazit HaShekel,
collection of Temple money from everyone to
fund priest’s salaries, renovations and sacrificial
spices and meat.

45. Benefits of Makom Shareholders
 Financial stability
 Independence: we are beholden to
ourselves, not interests of others
 Individual benefits:
 Directlyinvested to shape our creative community
 Have a voice: shareholders can vote and run for
Board positions
 Work with Rabbi Aaron one-on-one to shape your
personal, religious journey

46. Makom Shareholders Structure
 $180 – individual adult
 $54 – student
 $36 – above Bar/Bat Mitzvah child
 $18 – child
 Allowances for financial hardships
 Payments in installments

47. Comparison of Individual Adult Fees

48. Organizational Plan
 Moving ahead toward a more sustainable
organization
 Including
a pledge to be more transparent and
communicative with our shareholders and the
public
 Charitable status application submission
 Transition to elected Board of Directors
 Increase volunteer opportunities

49. Board Positions
 Once we receive our charitable status we must
elect a Board of Directors and hold Annual
General Meetings
 Key positions are: President, Vice-
President, Secretary and Treasurer.
 We will circulate more detailed information
about Board positions and the nomination
process in the coming weeks.
 To apply for a Board position, and to vote at the
AGM, you must be a shareholder in good
standing.

50. Volunteer Opportunities
 Specific sub-committees/positions include:
 Programming (many different opportunities)
 Fundraising/Tzedakah
 Communications
 Shareholder Liaison
 Immediate needs:
 Holiday programming , e.g., Tu bi-Shvat and Purim
 2 people to be on the Board’s Nominating Committee
 Opportunities range in time commitment and
scope from setting up Friday nights to leading a
programming team; cooking dinners to providing
pro-bono professional services, including web
design & maintenance and fundraising.

51. Makom and You!
 Our community runs on people-power.
 The success of our programs depends on the
strength of our support system – volunteers
and staff.
 Shareholder funding will provide us with a
sustainable base of funding to start each
year.
 We will also need continued donations from
you and your family and friends.

52. Feedback/Questions/Comments
 Now
 Later during schmoozing
 Please take time to jot down ideas, critiques, etc. on
the index cards on your chairs
Thank you!