Makom Solel Lakeside

What Makom Solel Lakeside does

Makom Solel Lakeside is a private, non-profit Reform Jewish congregation headquartered at 1301 Clavey Road in Highland Park, Illinois, serving the Jewish community in Lake County and surrounding north-Chicago suburbs. The congregation operates as a full-service spiritual community, providing Shabbat and holiday worship services, lifecycle rituals (b'nai mitzvah, weddings, funerals), pastoral care, religious education (Lev Learning PreK-10th grade plus Be Mitzvah preparation and teen programming), and lifelong learning offerings (Torah Study, Adult Enrichment, Book Clubs). Its operations are supported by a small team of approximately 10 staff and led by clergy including Rabbi Ike Serotta, with governance by a Board of Directors.

The organization relies on ShulCloud, a proprietary synagogue content management system, as its core digital infrastructure for member accounts, event registration, donation processing, calendar management, and live streaming. There is no proprietary technology built by the congregation itself; ShulCloud is a third-party platform licensed across the Reform Jewish communal space. Marketing and member engagement are driven through the ShulCloud-powered website (mymakom.org), email newsletters (Makom Monthly), Facebook, YouTube, and live-streamed services, with inter-congregational programming partnerships (Temple Jeremiah, Am Shalom) extending the event inventory.

Revenue is generated through five primary streams: (1) Annual Community Commitment (undisclosed dues set per household), (2) Tzedakah Circle leadership giving at a $5,550+ annual household threshold, (3) L'dor V'dor Circle legacy and planned giving, (4) High Holy Day guest tickets ($360 all-in-person / $180 single-holiday or virtual), and (5) general donations accepted online, by phone, mail, or through financial advisors. The congregation is affiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ), the institutional anchors of the North American Reform movement.

Name

Makom Solel Lakeside

Legal name

Makom Solel Lakeside

Website

https://mymakom.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Makom Solel Lakeside is a non-profit Reform Jewish congregation in Highland Park, Illinois, serving ~10 staff-supported member households through worship, religious education (Lev Learning PreK-10), lifecycle events, and Tikkun Olam programming, funded by annual community commitments and tiered giving programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Congregation Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAA

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAD

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAB

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Reform jewish congregation
• Religious education services
• Synagogue worship services
• Jewish lifecycle events
• Community tikkun olam programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Highland Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Community Commitment (Membership Dues): Annual membership contributions that sustain core operations including worship services, clergy, staff, religious education (Lev Learning), pastoral care, member services, and building maintenance. The commitment is described as an act of belonging and collective responsibility.
2. Tzedakah Circle: Leadership-level annual stewardship program requiring $5,550+ cumulative household giving within the fiscal year (July 1-June 30), including the Annual Community Commitment plus qualifying donations. Circle members are honored at an annual intimate dinner hosted by clergy.
3. Legacy Giving (L'dor V'dor Circle): Estate planning and planned giving program allowing members to include Makom in their wills, trusts, retirement accounts, life insurance, or charitable gift annuities. No minimum required. Members join the L'dor V'dor Circle upon making legacy commitments.
4. High Holy Day Guest Tickets: Tickets sold to community members for their guests to attend Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services. In-person All-In tickets: $360/person for all High Holy Day services; single holiday or virtual streaming: $180/person.
5. General Donations: One-time and recurring donations accepted via online, phone, mail, or through financial advisors. Multiple giving methods offered including online forms and planned giving vehicles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Makom Solel Lakeside operates as a Reform Jewish congregation in Highland Park, Illinois, delivering Shabbat and High Holy Day worship services, Lev Learning religious education from PreK through 10th grade, Be Mitzvah preparation, lifelong learning (Torah Study, Adult Enrichment, Book Clubs), lifecycle event officiation, pastoral care, and Tikkun Olam community-service initiatives. The congregation sustains operations through member contributions via the Annual Community Commitment, Tzedakah Circle leadership giving, Legacy/Planned Giving, High Holy Day guest tickets, and general donations.

Product overview

Makom Solel Lakeside operates as a Reform Jewish congregation offering religious worship, educational programs, and community services. The organization uses the ShulCloud platform as its primary digital infrastructure for member management, event scheduling, donations, and communications. The congregation's programming includes Shabbat and holiday services, Lev Learning religious education, lifelong learning opportunities, Tikkun Olam community service initiatives, and various giving programs such as the Tzedakah Circle and Legacy Giving.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Community Commitment (Membership) Annual household membership contribution that confers belonging to the congregation and funds worship services, clergy, staff, Lev Learning religious education, pastoral care, member services, and building maintenance. It functions as the primary membership dues mechanism for individuals and families.
• Lev Learning Religious Education Structured Jewish religious school program for children from PreK through 10th grade, including Be Mitzvah preparation, Teen Experiences, the Clavey Crew youth group, and a Children's Theatre Program. Targeted at member families seeking formal religious education for their children.
• High Holy Day Worship Tickets Tiered ticketed access to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services for guests of members: in-person All-In access at $360/person covers all High Holy Day services; $180/person covers a single holiday in-person or full virtual streaming access.
• Adult Enrichment and Lifelong Learning Continuing-education programming for adult members covering Torah Study, Adult Enrichment & Education sessions (often featuring clergy or guest speakers), and Book Clubs. Available both in-person and virtually.
• Lifecycle Event Services Clergy-officiated lifecycle event services for members, including Be Mitzvah preparation, weddings, and broader pastoral care across life milestones.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated with the Union for Reform Judaism, the central organization of the Reform Jewish movement. This affiliation provides institutional identity, resources, and connection to the broader Reform Jewish community nationwide.
• Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated with WRJ, the women's arm of the Reform Jewish movement, supporting women's leadership and programming within the congregation.
• ShulCloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationShulCloud provides the proprietary content management system powering the congregation's website, member management, event registration, donation processing, live streaming, and calendar management. The platform is developed by Shulcloud, LLC.
• Temple JeremiahminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for joint programming such as the Israel Scouts Tzofim Friendship Caravan event, demonstrating inter-congregational collaboration within the Jewish community.
• Am ShalomminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner congregation for joint Tikkun Leil Shavuot programming, allowing members to participate in combined religious education events across congregations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Am Shalom: Reform Jewish congregation in Glencoe, Illinois. Existing partner on Tikkun Leil Shavuot programming. Operates similar worship, education, and lifecycle programming for North Shore Jewish families, making it a tightly comparable peer.
• B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim (BJBE): Large Reform Jewish congregation in Deerfield, Illinois. Directly comparable in denomination and suburban North Shore catchment, with comparable religious school, worship, and Tikkun Olam programming.
• North Shore Congregation Israel: Major Reform Jewish congregation in Glencoe, Illinois. One of the largest congregations on Chicago's North Shore, offering the same suite of worship, religious school, and adult programming for a comparable family demographic.
• North Suburban Synagogue Beth El: Reform Jewish congregation in Highland Park, Illinois. Operates in the same immediate catchment as Makom Solel Lakeside, competing for member families in the same Lake County geography.
• Congregation Beth Judea: Reform Jewish congregation in Long Grove/Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Competes for Jewish families in the northern suburbs with similar religious school, lifecycle, and adult education programming.
• Temple Jeremiah: Reform Jewish congregation in Northfield, Illinois. Already a documented programming partner of Makom Solel Lakeside (e.g., Israel Scouts Friendship Caravan), making it the most directly comparable North Shore peer in terms of denomination, geography, and congregational model.
• Anshe Sholom B'nai Israel: Reform Jewish congregation in Chicago serving North Side families. Comparable denominational identity and programming model, though operating in a more urban geography.

Broad incumbents

• Temple Sholom of Chicago: Large, established Reform Jewish congregation on Chicago's lakefront. Operates similar programming at greater scale and acts as a broader-incumbent peer in the regional Reform ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfJTcoEemzx38gZEXbKMgwg
• Facebookfacebook.com/top
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/makom-solel-lakeside

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Makom Solel Lakeside