9 – Rabbi Philip N. Kranz Learning Center
Built in 1973; Rededicated in 2006
Renovated 2019
Available to all Sinai members and community guests, the Temple Sinai library was established in 1973 with the opening of the building. The library was rededicated in 2006 when it was named in honor of Rabbi Emeritus Phil Kranz upon his retirement. The Kranz Learning Center is the largest synagogue library in the southeast (if not the country), boasting an expansive and growing collection of well over 12,000 titles featuring both fiction and reference materials on Jewish life, the Holocaust, Israel, art, music, biographies, resources for studying classical Jewish text, and a Jewish law library collection endowed by the Eichel family in memory of their son Steven. In 2019 the interior of the library was completely redesigned, and today, the Kranz Learning Center is the central gathering space for adult learning at Temple Sinai.
Reflection from Beth Sugarman:
There are so many memorable moments of the Kranz Library for me. In addition to the amazing collection of books and reference materials, I also have wonderful memories of Rabbi Kranz teaching his always enlightening Tuesday morning class. There is also the Rose and Marvin Sugarman Library Fund established in honor of my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. But my most treasured memories in the Kranz Library are of the ceremonies preceding our granddaughter Ella’s bat mitzvah and our grandson Daniel’s bar mitzvah where I presented each of them with their tallit and the bags I had needlepointed for them. These were beautiful, meaningful moments I will cherish always.
