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Ukranian Emergency Relief Funds

05/16/2022 12:07:03 PM

May16

There are two ways below to contribute to Ukrainian humanitarian aid.  One goes directly through Father Bo’s St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the other through the American Jewish Committee (AJC) which continues to support Jews and non-Jews in the war effort.  

American Jewish Committee (AJC)'s Emergency #StandWithUkraine Fund

American Jewish Committee (AJC) has launched an emergency fund to provide...Read more...

Different is Strength

05/12/2022 08:13:05 AM

May12

Rabbi Sam Trief

At the urging of our beloved Preschool Director, Miss Jamah, I submitted our daughter Maayan to the Gerber Baby Competition. Yes, like many (most!) others out there, I think my kids are pretty cute.

I personally could not think of a more exciting role for my daughter: to work with Gerber to taste-test baby food products before they are released to the market.

While admittedly, a bit self-indulgent, I really thought Maayan had...Read more...

Ready to Receive

05/03/2022 12:45:15 PM

May3

Beth Schafer

Since being a recent newlywed (and someone who was divorced), I have found myself asking friends who have been married for over 25 years what has contributed to their long, healthy marriages. While some of the answers were cute and maybe a little glib (i.e. “always say, ‘yes dear,’" or “have separate bathrooms”), one answer stood out as the best ingredient to a successful marriage. My friend said, “Do the work on yourself to be...Read more...

Mazel Tov to Rabbis Kranz & Segal

04/27/2022 10:00:30 AM

Apr27

Rabbi Brad Levenberg, Rabbi Sam Trief and Beth Schafer

Oh what a night!

How wonderful it was to be able to celebrate the rabbinates of our friends, teachers, and Senior Rabbis Phil Kranz and Ron Segal. Throughout the evening of honor, time and again we heard the refrain relating how lucky we are as a community that we have been and continue to be shaped by their vision, dedication, and friendship. As was shared, Rabbi Segal strives to follow the model set by Rabbi Kranz as he continues to...Read more...

Two are Better than One

04/20/2022 09:19:31 AM

Apr20

Rabbi Sam Trief

"Two are better than one, for the reward is greater when they are together. For if they should fall, one can lift up the other; truly sad is the one who falls with no companion there to lift them up!"— Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Sometimes, life offers us special opportunities to make sacred connections with fellow human beings. You meet someone—at school, at temple, at work, through a mutual acquaintance, by...Read more...

Neither Enslaved Nor Free

04/13/2022 09:26:38 AM

Apr13

Temple Sinai Clergy

We spend time during our Seders reflecting upon the years the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, attempting to empathize with the plight of our ancestors, after which we savor the taste of freedom on the other side of the sea. While surely appropriate to linger in these defining moments, for the crux of our historical narrative is one that moves from bondage to redemption, it seems we often disregard the actual moments of transition. What...Read more...

I Want to Make a Difference, But How?

04/07/2022 09:27:22 AM

Apr7

Rabbi Ron Segal

If you have entertained the thought, “I want to make a difference in our community,” but are unsure how best to make a significant and meaningful impact, I encourage you to read on.

Founded in 1987 by local churches and synagogues, including Temple Sinai, the Community Assistance Center (CAC) provides critical support for thousands of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody residents each year.  The CAC provides basic needs assistance for...Read more...

An Exodus Unfolding Before Our Eyes

04/07/2022 09:21:25 AM

Apr7

Rabbi Ron Segal

Without doubt, the number of movies and TV shows I have seen through the years has been limited by a personal aversion to heightened suspense (usually exacerbated by accompanying music), as well as a distaste for gore and gratuitous violence.  Thus, as the horrific images revealing the torture, mass killings, and criminal acts perpetrated against Ukrainian citizens in the Kiev suburb of Bucha were broadcast in this week’s news, I –...Read more...

Reconnecting with Our Homeland

03/31/2022 08:44:36 AM

Mar31

Rabbi Sam Trief

From Shabbat to Shabbat. This is what we call our weekly Sinai email message. 

In it, we reflect upon the week that has passed, the events we have hosted, the experiences we have had. We turn our eyes toward words of Torah as we prepare for the upcoming Shabbat, the holiest day on our calendar. It is the day of peace and it comes every week, even when peace seems far from our hearts. 

Of course, the war continues to...Read more...

Gender Identity - Room for More than Either/Or

03/22/2022 12:56:41 PM

Mar22

Beth Schafer

Growing up, I never heard the phrase, “gender identity.” We were all assigned a physical sex at birth (and accompanying identity) based on our physiology and that was that. Those who somehow felt that their body did not reflect their understanding of themselves were left to be in a state of quiet conflict with no ways to express an alternate gender identity other than what was assigned at birth, without feeling “other”.

The...Read more...

Fueling Our Spiritual Fires

03/16/2022 12:31:00 PM

Mar16

Rabbi Brad Levenberg

In this week’s Torah portion, Tzav, we read that the fire must be kept burning on the sacrificial altar. “The fire will burn forever upon the altar; it will never be put out.” (Leviticus 6:6) 

Having spent a significant amount of time around fire pits since 2020, I’ve learned that fires require continuous care. Wood must often be added to fuel the fire. Logs must frequently be rearranged in order to keep the...Read more...

Wandering

03/10/2022 09:02:35 AM

Mar10

Beth Schafer

Maybe it is burrowed deep within my Jewish DNA, the propensity to wander. As the Israelites made their way from Egypt to the Promised Land they spent two generations’ worth of time wandering the desert. Certainly, the physical journey would not really take forty years, but this was not a physical journey. The journey across the desert was a spiritual one-one of forging an identity as well as a relationship with God. It was also one which...Read more...

New Streaming Platform

03/07/2022 09:12:17 AM

Mar7

Shelly Dresdner

We are excited to announce the launch of a new streaming platform, Vimeo Live, for virtual participants to experience Temple Sinai’s worship and lifecycle services.  This upgrade, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, will allow us to continue improving the quality of all worshipper’s experiences. After extensive dialogue with members, we identified this platform, and key features, to ensure that we continue...Read more...

Support for Ukraine

03/03/2022 09:07:30 AM

Mar3

Rabbi Ron Segal

As the tenor of the reports from Ukraine grows in severity almost by the hour, so, too, grows the yearning and heartfelt desire of countless among us to want to do something, anything, to assist the people of Ukraine during this existential crisis. Putin’s aggression, the killing of Ukrainian civilians, the bombing of the Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial, the flight of over one million Ukrainian citizens… the number of tragic headlines and...Read more...

New Mask Policy

02/28/2022 09:16:51 AM

Feb28

Adam Mayer, Rabbi Ron Segal and Jack Feldman

In March, 2020, our congregation first implemented policies and protocols designed to safeguard our community against what we had hoped would be the short-term impact of Covid-19. Nearly 2 years later, we find ourselves moving from pandemic to endemic.
 
A large percentage of our community has become fully vaccinated and boosted (mitigating against the effects of Covid) and our understanding of Covid and its variants has evolved,...Read more...

We Are All Part of a Whole

02/24/2022 08:47:40 AM

Feb24

Beth Schafer

This week marks Shabbat Shekalim, the first of 4 Shabbatot leading up to Passover that has a special name and theme. It gets its name from this week’s Torah portion that is read in preparation for Purim, requesting each adult male Jew contribute half of a Biblical shekel for the upkeep of the Tent of Meeting. The half-shekel is an interesting and curious amount. Each half would require someone else’s half to make a whole. In addition to...Read more...

Celebrate Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month

02/17/2022 08:20:44 AM

Feb17

Rabbi Sam Trief

February is my favorite month of the year for many reasons. Yes, I am partial to Valentine’s Day chocolates, and yes, February is my birthday month. And yes, who doesn’t love watching AJFF films?! However, I also love February because it marks something about which I am very passionate - Jewish Disabilities Awareness, Acceptance & Inclusion Month (JDAIM).

In the Book of Isaiah, we are taught: "For my house...Read more...

Ancient Rituals, Current Actions

02/10/2022 08:00:53 AM

Feb10

Rabbi Ron Segal

“You shall all be for Me a kingdom of priests (kohanim) and a treasured people” (Exodus 19:6).  In his excellent sermon this past Shabbat evening, Rabbi Levenberg concluded with the final words of this verse (watch the sermon here at 1:03:55 mark).  It is to the first part of the verse, “You shall be a kingdom of priests,” that I turn our attention in this message.

A question: Other than the fact they are...Read more...

The Gift of Judaism

02/03/2022 11:50:19 AM

Feb3

Rabbi Brad Levenberg

As this week’s Torah reading covers Parashat Terumah, translated as “gifts” and referencing the gifts that the Israelites were to bring for the construction of their tabernacle, I found myself particularly compelled by the image offered by Rabbi Aaron Panken, of blessed memory:

“Imagine the image. You go up into your attic and you find a fantastically wrapped, absolutely beautiful, unbelievably...Read more...

COVID Policies Update

02/03/2022 11:15:57 AM

Feb3

Jack Feldman, Rabbi Ron Segal and Adam Mayer

As we endeavor to strengthen our community amidst the ever-changing pandemic landscape, we are pleased to share the latest update in our COVID safety protocols. Beginning this Friday with our Kabbalat Panim (pre-service reception) at 5:45 pm, Temple Sinai will once again allow food and beverages, both indoors and outdoors, at future congregational programs and services. Please note, however, that while we desire to foster increased...Read more...

Reproductive Freedom is a Jewish Value

01/26/2022 02:51:35 PM

Jan26

Beth Schafer

This week we are centering our Shabbat around the topic of Reproductive Freedom. Repro Shabbat is an opportunity for us to highlight the critical importance of reproductive health access, reproductive rights, and reproductive justice, and to learn more about Judaism’s approach to these issues.

Along with over 700 institutions, congregations this week are centering their messages, sermons and music around this very important and...Read more...

When All We Have is Hope

01/18/2022 11:59:11 AM

Jan18

Rabbi Brad Levenberg

Like many, I was experiencing a rather challenging competition for my attention this past weekend. Going into Martin Luther King weekend, I was reflecting upon the legacy of the civil rights movement, the legacy bequeathed to us today. The work continues to build a society that is more just, more equitable, and where are all celebrated for the beauty and complexity of our narratives, our histories, our cultures, and our beliefs. The message...Read more...

The Exodus and the Dawgs!

01/13/2022 09:13:50 AM

Jan13

Rabbi Ron Segal

My son Ben forwarded a tweet to me this week: “Moses wandered the desert for a shorter time than Dawg fans waited for a natty. Wow.” 

For UGA alumni and Georgia Bulldog fans everywhere, Monday’s long-awaited national championship has been a source of understandable jubilation.  The last time UGA ended its season atop the college football mountain was in 1980 and the enormous, shared sense of relief and release...Read more...

Exciting Clergy Announcement

01/12/2022 11:46:15 AM

Jan12

Adam Mayer and Rabbi Ron Segal

“Appoint for yourself a teacher, and you will acquire a friend.”  
(Pirkei Avot 1:6)

Upon the recommendation of Temple Sinai’s Professional Relations Committee*, we are pleased and proud to share that the Board of Trustees has unanimously endorsed the promotion of Rabbi Brad Levenberg to the position of Senior Rabbi.  In accordance with Temple Sinai’s Bylaws, a congregational vote to...Read more...

2021 Wynne Scholarship Winner Isabella Emmanuel 

01/10/2022 08:57:26 AM

Jan10

Isabella Emmanuel

This summer I went to Israel for the first time through the Merrill and Sheila Wynne Judaic Scholarship. I chose to use the scholarship towards the Jewish National Fund’s Roots Israel trip. Teens from around the US gathered...Read more...

Announcing Marisa Kaiser as the Charles S. Ackerman Senior Director of Learning and Engagement

01/03/2022 01:41:24 PM

Jan3

“It is an honor to serve Temple Sinai in this position named for Charles Ackerman. His commitment to lifelong learning and educating future generations is a source of inspiration to me personally as well as to all of our educators at Temple...Read more...

A Prayer for 2022

12/29/2021 11:34:14 AM

Dec29

Rabbi Ron Segal

As 2021 draws to a close with the realities of Covid-19 and all its variants continuing to wreak havoc in our lives, many might be challenged to find much that is positive in what this year has wrought. While the end of a calendar year typically elicits joyful reflection on the past year’s accomplishments along with a list of personal resolutions for the secular new year ahead, the conclusion of 2021 undeniably finds us in great...Read more...

New Mask Policy

12/28/2021 10:42:02 AM

Dec28

Adam Mayer, Rabbi Ron Segal and Jack Feldman

The Temple Sinai Covid Task Force, in accordance with current CDC guidelines and in consultation with our medical advisory team, has revised our Covid-19 policies and procedures. Due to the current rate of infection associated with the omicron variant, the wearing of facemasks will once again be mandatory for all participants when gathered indoors for Sinai meetings, programs, and worship events, except while eating or drinking....Read more...

Intersections of Faith

12/20/2021 03:03:02 PM

Dec20

Rabbi Brad Levenberg

I do so love when holidays intersect, and this Shabbat is no exception. While Jews around the world gather with friends and family to welcome Shabbat, a ritual complete with well wishes, with blessings, with an embrace of light and good and kindness and compassion, our Christian friends and siblings gather with family and friends to celebrate Christmas, a ritual complete with those same heartening and heartwarming values. This Friday night...Read more...

The Prequel

12/16/2021 08:01:52 AM

Dec16

Beth Schafer

I remember clear as day, when I was a 3rd grader, I went to see Star Wars. It was the most amazing cinematic experience I had ever had with great characters, a great story, and new, flashy sci-fi effects never before seen on screen. I found it intriguing, though, that in the opening, the words that scrolled across the screen began with “Chapter 4.” What? Did I miss 3 movies? And yet, that story in and of itself stood alone as...Read more...

Thu, January 30 2025 1 Sh'vat 5785