It has been my absolute honor and pleasure to serve as your president over the past two years. I am deeply touched and humbled by your trust in me to continue in this role for another term. As I look back on my first term and ahead to what’s next, I wanted to take a moment to reflect and share some thoughts with you.

Having served on the Temple Sinai board since 2017, I’ve had the privilege of watching our leadership evolve. In recent years, I’ve seen a meaningful shift—our board has become more welcoming and collaborative with the broader congregation. Our committees have stepped into larger roles in shaping the life and programming of Temple Sinai, and we’ve taken steps to empower those committees to manage their own finances and initiatives. This growth in shared leadership is something I’m especially proud of.

One of the most significant areas of progress has been the evolution of our Sinai School. What was once heavily dependent on the rabbi’s presence has become a self-sustaining and vibrant part of our Temple community. It now belongs to all of us, with a strong foundation that ensures continuity regardless of any future clergy changes.

Our recent annual congregational meeting was lively, informative, and—yes—a little chaotic at times. But we knew going into the annual meeting that our members are savvy, direct, and many have served in these leadership roles themselves. I’ve always been candid that interpreting budget spreadsheets and financial charts is not my greatest strength, and that was certainly on display at the meeting. I want to take a moment to express my deep gratitude to Marilyn Roberts, whose depth of knowledge and dedication to Temple Sinai’s finances has been a steady and invaluable presence. As she steps away from her role, I’m excited to welcome Michael Cohen as our incoming CFO. His creativity and energy around financial stewardship promise to breathe new life into this essential area of our Temple leadership.

As we begin this new congregational year, I invite each of you to consider what parts of Temple Sinai life are most meaningful to you—and to act on that. Whether it’s through a financial contribution, volunteering, or simply showing up with intention, there are many ways to move from being a recipient to being a giver of blessings.

If Jewish education is close to your heart, consider a gift to our Sinai School or the Marsha Cohen Fund for Jewish Education. If security at our Friday night services brings you peace of mind, a contribution to our Building, Grounds, and Security Fund helps support that need. This new year is an opportunity for the congregation as well as the board to invest in the financial health of this institution.

There’s a kind of theater to what we do in Temple leadership. We want the lights to come on, the sound to work, and everyone to know their cues. But every so often, we find ourselves in the role of the understudy—onstage, uncertain of our lines, hoping the show will go on. When I was first elected president, Mike Medvin said to me, “Good. Now it’s your turn to make the mistakes.” I’ve always loved the truth in that statement. Mistakes are inevitable—and when we accept that, we realize that our character is not defined by the mistake itself, but by how we respond to it. I am grateful to the membership and leadership of Temple Sinai for supporting me through the inevitable missteps, and I hope I’ve demonstrated accountability and a willingness to grow.

Since joining the board, we’ve weathered divisive national elections, a global pandemic, and the challenges of reopening and rebuilding. And yet, here we are—open, thriving, and looking toward a future filled with possibility.

Thank you for walking with me on this journey. I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together—and I can’t wait to see what we’ll create in the next chapter.

Here’s to Round Two!

With gratitude and optimism,

Tova McGilvray
President, Temple Sinai