Menu Close

Join Us

Join Us

Become a Builder of Makor Hayim!

At our synagogue, we don’t just have members—we have Builders. 

Every person who joins our community becomes part of something greater, actively contributing to the creation of a vibrant, meaningful Jewish home.

Like the ancient Israelites who built the Mishkan, the Ark of the Convenant in the desert, each contributing according to their ability, we create our sacred community through everyone’s unique gifts and contributions.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MEMBERSHI
team-4529717_1280

Build community through Financial Support

Like all synagogues Makor Hayim Builders (as we call our members) pay a membership fee to cover some of the cost of running the community. Your fee revenue helps us provide:

  • Our Rabbi – providing spiritual leadership and guidance
  • Core Staff – including our part-time Community Manager & Governance Officer who keep our community thriving
  • Beautiful Spaces – our wonderful venue in Willesden
  • Children’s Programming – staffing and resources to nurture our next generation
  • Community Essentials – from Kiddush to software solutions, everything that keeps us connected and growing

We offer several fee levels to cover different financial circumstances. If you’re a family with children, or under 25, we’ve got you covered with heavily discounted rates. We also know everyone’s situation is different, and would never want money to be an obstacle to participation. If Makor Hayim feels like the place for you but you’re concerned about the cost, please don’t hesitate to get in touch in confidence and we’ll work out an arrangement that works for you. For more information see our FAQs

APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP

Builders Receive Awesome Benefits including…

An official welcome at a New Builders service, where you’ll be invited to participate and share about yourself if you like

– Access to the vibrant WhatsApp community, with dozens of threads to join based on your interest

– Pastoral support by request from the Rabbi

– Community support coordinated by our Chesed Team

– Free entry to events with guest ticketing, e.g. High Holy Days, guest speakers

I HAVE QUESTIONS, TELL ME MORE
I’M READY TO BECOME A MEMBER
happy-holidays-2567915_1280

Building By Volunteering Your Time & Gifts

We invite Builders who have capacity to volunteer using their strengths and skills. Whether you love baking challah, enjoy crafting decorations, have website design expertise, can help with security, or possess any other talents, every Builder’s contribution is valued and makes our community more vibrant.

From the practical to the creative, from the technical to the traditional—there’s a place for every skill and passion in our community. Email amita@makorhayim.org to explore your contribution.

Building With Your Presence

Being a Builder means more than financial support—it means showing up, engaging, and co-creating the special atmosphere that makes our gatherings truly sacred. Your presence at events, your participation in discussions, and your openness to connection all help weave the fabric of our community.

BECOME A MEMBER

FAQs

What’s all this about Builders?

At most synagogues, “members” are people who pay a joining fee and are entitled to things like attending High Holy Days free of charge, and having their funeral taken care of.

Makor Hayim offers this too, but we go a step further. We are a community of Builders: people who come together from all backgrounds and walks of life to create something remarkable together.

 

You can build community by simply turning up to Shabbat in person or online, and letting your presence be a source of joy and strength to those around you. Or you can get stuck in – and many of us do – with leading services, sharing expertise, pitching in as volunteers, or championing social justice. And if that sounds daunting, our longstanding Builders will be glad to welcome you, help you find your feet, and discover a way of doing Jewish community you didn’t know was possible.

I’m not Jewish / my partner isn’t Jewish. Is Makor Hayim the right space for me?

Yes! We are proud to welcome non-Jewish Ally Builders as fully-fledged members of our community. This means you and/or your partner will be right at home regardless of your religious affiliation, faith (or lack of), and upbringing.

All our members are enrolled with JJBS regardless of their Jewish status; this means mixed families can all be buried together in Reform Jewish cemeteries.

We endeavour to make our services as accessible as possible, whatever your familiarity with Jewish tradition. If you’re interested in learning more about Judaism as part of your Buildership journey, you might want to check out our Navigating Judaism programme. And if you’re interested in conversion, that’s a conversation we can have. If not, you’re still equally welcome at Makor Hayim!

Does Makor Hayim accept [insert category of person here]?

Yes! We make it our mission to be inclusive and welcoming of everyone who wants to be part of our community. We believe everyone brings something unique to the table, and we’d love to share our community with you. Our membership includes mixed heritage families, Jews of colour, LGBTQIA+ Jews, Jews with neurodiversity, single Jews, old Jews, young Jews, Jews with disabilities, secular and religious Jews, people who were brought up with Judaism and people who weren’t – as well as non-Jewish Allies who for various reasons have a stake in our community.

If you have a specific access requirement, please indicate this on the Builder application form or get in touch directly so we can be sure to accommodate it. For more information see Accessibility.

What are your fee levels (and which should I choose)?

Currently, we offer different fee levels for individuals, couples, and families with children. Please choose whichever option best reflects your situation – there’s no catch. Please note children under 12 are included in the individual and couple plans; only choose “family” if your kids are 12 or over.

 

If you’re a first-time student we have a concessionary “student” rate available. Under 25s are also eligible for this rate.

 

If you’re not sure you’ve chosen the right option, don’t worry – we don’t take payment until we’ve met with you and confirmed your membership, so you’ll have the opportunity to have your questions answered before you commit.

I can’t afford the fees, can you help?

There are many ways to contribute to a community besides financially, and we would never want to exclude someone from our community for financial reasons. If you feel you would have difficulty with the fees, please get in touch and we’ll talk you through options.

Can I come along to a service/event before committing?

Absolutely! All our upcoming dates are listed on our calendar, so simply register your attendance and we’ll be in touch with more details. Alternatively if you’d like to speak to us before deciding to attend, you’re very welcome – feel free to drop us a line or an email!

I’ve still got questions, what do I do?

We know joining a community can be a big step – especially if you’ve not had the best experiences with community before. 

Builders have joined us from all manner of circumstances and relationships with their faith. Some have felt uninspired by traditional shuls that they might not realise is not the only option. Some come from dual-faith households, others stepped away from Judaism for many years, decades even, and later find themselves with a renewed curiosity. Starting a family can often be a trigger for seeking community – a safe environment for their youngsters to learn about Judaism, have a little community of their own, and play! 

Whatever your journey to us, we’re delighted that you’re thinking about joining. If you have any questions, why not reach out to Amita, who will happily answer all of them. And if she can’t, she’ll find someone who can!

Start your journey

Does Makor Hayim sound like the place for you? Take the first step towards Buildership by filling out the form below. You won’t pay anything just yet; once we receive your application we’ll be in touch to arrange a welcome meeting and talk through the details.

Â