Temple Sinai - Worcester

May Services

Temple Sinai — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 02:32:49 +0000

FRIDAY, MAY 4
6:30 PM – Pot Luck Dinner
7:30 PM – Sabbath Service – Friday Night Live

SATURDAY, MAY 5
11:30 AM – Bar Mitzvah of Kai Michlmayr

FRIDAY, MAY 11
6:00 PM – Grade 3 Family Dinner
7:00 PM – Early Sabbath Service – Grade 3 Leading

SATURDAY, MAY 12
11:15 AM – Tot Shabbat

FRIDAY, MAY 18
7:30 PM – Sabbath Service – “Voices of Song”

FRIDAY, MAY 25
7:30 PM – Sabbath Service

SATURDAY, MAY 26
11:30 AM – Bar Mitzvah of Connor Oberman

Family Shabbat Hanukkah Celebration 2011 / 5772

Temple Sinai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:18:27 +0000

These photos were taken by Betsy Kravitz at the family celebration prior to our Friday Night Live service on 12/23/2011. We thank the membership committee chaired by Esta Singer and Heather Gelardi for planning and running this event. We also thank Cantor Kim Singer and the Friday Night Live band for providing the spirited musical service. This program is always one of the highlights of our year.

Rabbi’s Message – 5/1/12

Temple Sinai — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:15:21 +0000

I am very fortunate to let you know that working with all of you has allowed me to accept a call to serve as an interim rabbi, again, for the coming year. I am looking forward to joining the folks at B’nai-El Congregation in St. Louis, MO, which is facing challenges in some ways similar and some ways quite different from Temple Sinai’s.

Founded in 1852 as a combination of congregations, B’nai Brith and Emanu El, B’nai El became the first congregation west of the Mississippi River to build its own building. Pretty much in the heart of Jewish St. Louis, it is demographically older than Temple Sinai with a declining, though talented, membership now standing at about 150 units. Its rabbinic-congregation track record is not nearly as heartening.

At any rate, I pray that what I have learned from you will encourage me and grace my work.

I shall cherish not only the time we have shared, but also the weeks we have in front of us and making the transition of your next rabbi a healthy one for both of you.

________
Rabbi Scott B. Saulson, PhD, Interim Rabbi

Cantor’s Message – 5/1/12

Temple Sinai — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 06:53:18 +0000

THE MUSICAL MONTH OF MAY

Dynamic. Exciting. Thought-provoking. Energetic. Fun. Great for families. These are just some of the ways I describe Temple Sinai’s Religious School, and its superstar director, Wendy Wong. So, in thinking for an appropriate way to celebrate school, I couldn’t think of a better way than bringing in Jewish Rock superstar (I am not exaggerating that) Rick Recht. By now you should all have received your information flyer about the celebratory weekend culminating in the May 12 concert. I would encourage you to get your tickets now if you haven’t already. Also, if you (or your child(ren) play an instrument, please get in touch with me. Members of the community will join Rick on stage for a few songs as part of the evening’s festivities. Get in a few of your 15 minutes of fame! The concert is part of an entire weekend of celebration. Hope to see all of you there.

But wait-the hits keep coming! The world of Jewish music is grand and diverse. The following weekend, May 18, our Voices in Song series concludes with a Friday night service featuring classical Jewish choral music by Louis Lewandowski. The Evelyn Zarrow Choir, our organist Rob Couchon, and special guest soloist Joan Yood join me to bring you this uplifting worship experience.

Cantor Kim

May Events

Temple Sinai — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 03:22:15 +0000

TUESDAYS, MAY 1 & 15
9:15 AM – Jewish Imaginings: Readings & Insights
Rabbi’s Study

SATURDAYS, MAY 5, 12, 19, & 26
9:00 AM – Torah Study
Rabbi’s Study

I Am Her Mother

Gary Englander — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:24:25 +0000

Lies spill from her mouth
Like molten lava from a volcano
Erupting, flowing
Taking on a life of it’s own
Scorching and ruining all in it’s path
Anything caught in the flow
Has no hope of escape
Run, flee, stay ahead of it’s path
Preserve self
And still yet, looking back
Like Lot’s wife
But I don’t become a pillar of salt
I keep trying to evade
But if follows wherever I go
No matter which way I twist or turn
It’s there. Inescapable
Taunting me with it’s perseverance
Frightened for my sanity and his
I run, but always, always looking back
I have to, I am her mother
I love her, I hate her path, I love her
I am her mother

— A Temple Sinai-ite on Parashat Vayeira

Religious School Director’s Message – 5/1/12

Temple Sinai — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 06:53:13 +0000

What a great time we all had celebrating Passover this year! The kindergarten, first and second graders and their parents had so much fun at the Interactive Seder and our third through seventh graders had a blast at our Seder Board Game!! We had a long break and now we are in the last weeks of Temple Sinai Religious School.

We have so much to celebrate in May!

On Friday, May 11, at 7:00, the third graders will lead services for the very first time, preceded by a family dinner at 6:00. Thank you to Esta Singer and Lisa Budish for coordinating the dinner. During the service we will be honoring our incredible teachers, and also with a special Oneg after. On Saturday afternoon and evening, our kids will have the chance to participate in a workshop with musician Rick Recht, and then will be able to join him on stage during his concert! I hope that you will all join us for this very special weekend. See more information elsewhere in this bulletin.

Please plan to join us on our last day, Saturday, May 19, for our last schoold-wide picnic. This will be a terrific opportunity to shmooze with the Religious School families and teachers. The children will have a morning full of fun activites, ending with the picnic at 11:30 so BYOL (bring your own lunch). Watch your e-mail for further information.

It is hard to believe that this year is ending. In June you will receive progress reports, as well as registration information for the newly formed Worcester Community Religious School. I am thrilled to be teaching Sinai High and our Post-Confirmation class and you will be receiving calendars from me in June, as well.

This has been another great year due to our fabulous teachers: Ivy Beaudreau, Heather Gelardi, Julie Mehne, Robin Milaszewski, Tali Mugg, Harriet Robbins, Barbara Rossman, Mara Safer, Rabbi Saulson, Kim Singer, Kim Solod-Jette, Natalie Sperling and Linda Stern.

I know how hard everyone worked to make our school so successful! I want to thank our young emissaries, Shahar amd Inbar, who were an integral part of our school this year!

Thank you to all the parents who helped out, as needed, throughout the year. It has been a pleasure to work with the school committee, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our capable and smiling student aides: Sam Gow, Rebecca Gow, Josh Hubbard and Sarah Kotin.

Have a wonderful summer!!
Wendy Davis Wong

Reform Judaism Think Tank Visioning

june — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:38:20 +0000

Add Your Voice to the Reform Judaism Think Tank Visioning Process

The Think Tank is a collaboration of the Union for Reform Judaism, the Hebrew Union College–Jewish Institute of Religion and the Central Conference of American Rabbis. This Think Tank was established with the goal of creating a vision for the future of North American Reform Judaism. The following questions are designed to help explore and identify significant trends within Reform Judaism. We encourage you to answer the questions and be part of this exciting endeavor. PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK:

https://urjyouth.wufoo.com/forms/reform-judaism-think-tank-visioning/

PS This opportunity will be posted on our website for the next three months.

Monday, 14 November 2011 Board Meeting

Gary Englander — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 22:04:38 +0000

At the regular Board meeting on November 14, 2011 the following items were addressed.

Agenda Item	Action*
Repairs to School Building: chimney, porch; windows; holes in ceiling	Approved, not to exceed $11,300
Adopting Board Committee Terms of Reference	Deferred until 12/12
Re-statement of Rabbinic Search Criteria	Deferred until 12/12
Special Congregational Meeting Visions Vote	Format & notification assigned to Exec. Cte.

* Approved, Rejected, Discussed without Action, Deferred

Harold Cotton Leadership Institute

Temple Sinai — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:52:49 +0000

The Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts is delighted to welcome Dr. Daniel Gordis, a renowned speaker and writer on significant issues affecting world Jewry and the State of Israel, to Worcester on Thursday, November 10. Dr. Gordis will be speaking on “A State unto the Nations: How Israel’s Fate Could Determine the Fate of Civilization Itself” at 7:30 pm at Beth Israel, 15 Jamesbury Drive.

Dr. Gordis’ lecture is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by two Federation initiatives, the Harold Cotton Leadership Institute and Torathon.

Gordis is widely cited on matters pertaining to Israel. Professor Alan Dershowitz has called him “one of Israel’s most thoughtful observers,” while Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic has written, “If you asked me, ‘of all the people you know, who cares the most about the physical, moral and spiritual health of Israel?’ I would put Daniel Gordis at the top of the list.”

Dr. Daniel Gordis is Senior Vice President and Senior Fellow of the Shalem Center in Jerusalem. Gordis was the founding dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at the University of Judaism, the first rabbinical college on the West Coast of the United States.

Since moving to Israel in 1998, Dr. Gordis has written and lectured throughout the world on Israeli society and the challenges facing the Jewish state. His writing has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine, the Jerusalem Post, Moment, Tikkun, and Commentary. His latest book, Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End, was awarded the 2009 National Jewish Book Award. Dr. Gordis is currently working on two new books, one of which is tentatively entitled Israel’s Survival, Freedom’s Future: How the Fate of One Small Nation Could Determine the Fate of the Whole World.