Hanukkah begins on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 12 next week! Hanukkah is the season of miracles. We celebrate the Maccabees’ victory over the Greek armies led by King Antiochus IV over 2,000 years ago. These armies overran the Temple in Jerusalem, setting up an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs. Because they forced our […]
Shabbat Unplugged! Bringing the Generations Together
Dear Temple Sinai Family, I am very grateful for the dedication and passion of all our committees, and this week, especially to the Jewish Practice and Social Action committees, who have combined forces along with an ad hoc committee to bring us “Shabbat Unplugged!” a fun, musical, contemporary and accessible prayer service with a special […]
Floods, Fires and Anti-Semitism
Autumn might be my favorite season: the leaves are turning, the temperature is dropping and it’s that magical period now between the end of the High Holy Day Season and Thanksgiving. Before we know it, we’ll be lighting the candles of Chanukah. That said, there are two recent, difficult events for our Northern Nevada Jewish […]
Season of Joy
Sukkot is zman simchateinu, the season of our joy, following Yom Kippur! I hope to see many of you this Friday night for the Community Sukkot Shabbat service and harvest-themed pot-luck in the sukkah! We have a Family Day at 9:30 a.m. Sunday for all our families, whether enrolled in Sinai School or not! Join […]
Change Is Possible
It may be hard to believe that Rosh HaShanah is less than two weeks away. Are we ready? This Shabbat is the 18th of Elul, the month of reflection and longing that leads up to the 1st of Tishrei on Rosh Hashanah and the Days of Awe. Elul is an acronym It may be hard […]
To a Good New (School) Year!
My Facebook feed has been filled this week with first day of school pictures. What a beautiful way to mark how fast kids grow! As we look forward to a new year of Sinai School here at T.S., I am very happy that with Beth Slamowitz at its helm, the Familyhood Committee is planning some […]
Visiting Israel
Over a week ago now, the Temple Sinai Trip to Israel came to an end. It was a fun, spiritual, educational and identity-affirming trip for everyone. We flew in to Tel Aviv and traveled through the north, before visiting S’fat and spending several days in Jerusalem. The trip combined culture, history, border and political issues, […]
Jumping Into Spring!
It has been a busy month at Temple Sinai. The Familyhood Committee put on a wonderful and highly successful fundraiser for Youth programs, the Spring Simcha Sock Hope and Silent Auction at the Grove. Thank you to everyone who helped to make it a smash, especially Beth and Adam Slamowitz, Mary Allstead, Ellen Lessinger — […]
Passover: Four More Question
Towards the middle of the Passover seder, we come to the phrase “Arami oved Avi – My father was a wandering Aramean.” The medieval commentator Rashbam says “my father” refers to Abraham. Ibn Ezra and Sforno say this refers to Jacob. What the rabbis do agree on is that all of our early patriarchs were […]
Special Reminders from the Rabbi
Please buy Purim dinner tickets now — both for the Erev Purim Celebration (delicious Mediterranean food!) and unlimited-ticket bracelets for the day-time Purim Carnival for families! Special rate for members in advance! Please also purchase tickets for the Israel Shabbat Retreat in April (open to all), and the Familyhood Spring Simcha (with raffles and silent […]
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