REGULAR NEWSLETTER ARTICLES FROM OUR TEMPLE PRESIDENT
Tova McGilvray
President@SinaiReno.org
President from 2023 to Present
Tova McGilvray was “Battle Born” and raised in Reno, Nevada, and is a graduate of UNR’s writing program. Her mom and bonus-dad still live in Reno, and all three are members of a different Reno Jewish congregation. She has worked in Title and Escrow since 2013 and looks forward to a long career helping people make Reno their home. Tova trained most of her life as a dancer and thespian, and cut her teeth at leadership managing, and choreographing theatrical productions. Her experience co-founding the Nada Dada Art Show exposed her to the plight of the residents in Reno’s weekly motels and introduced her to community activism. While always identified as a Northern Nevada Jew, it was not until joining Temple Sinai that she found a home where she could practice community service from a proudly Jewish perspective. A Temple Sinai member since 2017, Tova is a past chair of the Temple Sinai Social Action Committee and has served on the Temple Board since 2017. She is also a Past President of the Rotary Club of Reno Midtown. Tova resides in Carson City with her supportive, affectionate, and not-at-all Jewish husband, Jeremme, and has two grown step-children, Destiny and Presh. Tova hopes to share her joy for Reno’s unique brand of Reform Judaism with everyone and is always game for singing and dancing.
The Bottom Line: Fighting for our communal survival
Across our country and in our Temple Sinai membership, I recognize the impulse to draw inward. Over the past year, we’ve seen an uptick in people declining to renew their Temple Sinai memberships citing financial reasons. They feel that they aren’t attending Temple enough to justify the cost of membership. My concern is that, someday […]
The Other New Year
Our Temple Sinai religious school launches again on August 18 (there is still time to register!). Under the experienced direction of Josie Glassberg, our returning Sinai School Director, this promises to be one of the most organized and visionary school years I’ve ever seen in my time at Temple Sinai. Yashar Kochech! As a TS […]
Elevate Your Shabbat
Elevate Your Shabbat: Transforming Your Friday Night Meal Sometimes people apologize to me for not attending Shabbat services more regularly, as if I’m taking attendance. I know every family has their own Friday night ritual, and rather than apologies, I want to hear about your Shabbat meal instead! Sharing a meal brings people together like […]
Y’all Are Sleeping On Purim
In February’s newsletter, the Rabbis explained why Purim gives a uniquely Jewish opportunity to dispel bigotry and prejudice with laughter. Today, I’m making a case for you to celebrate Purim for a less lofty reason: You’re missing out on a good time! There are already “secular” religious holidays that Americans celebrate simply because they are […]