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Divrei
Rabbi Jerry
Rabbi
Jerry Seidler
TempleSinai
Temple Sinai is about the People
The one thing I keep hearing from Temple Sinai folks is that we really like to spend time with each other. Building on the traditional success of the Hanukkah Seder, for example, I introduced new opportunities for us to get together with a Tu B'Shevat Seder (for the New Year of Trees) and a second night Pesach Seder during Passover. Our Purim Service, Spiel and Auction were phenomenal, and Jazz on Mount Sinai was a pure delight. My Tuesday evening adult education offerings have been well-received. Our weekly Shabbat experience has really come together nicely. Our services preserve so much of Temple Sinai's rich tradition, while allowing me to share some things I happen to love.
What I have heard consistently as a message from you all is that Temple Sinai is about our people. And I quite agree. If Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan attempted to convey anything when he conceived Reconstructionist Judaism, it was that belonging to and participating in a Jewish spiritual community was of primary importance. Believing and behaving as Jews came from being part of the Jewish group. Temple Sinai, to continue developing as a Jewish force, needs to enable our people additional opportunities to come together as a temple to join together with the larger Jewish community, and to do things with others in the greater Buffalo community.
And so I hear you. My response is that we need to continue to create community building opportunities to "do Jewish" and live Judaism.
Starting in July, our first Friday Shabbat experience will morph from a Family Shabbat geared to elementary and middle school age children and their families, to a Family of Families Shabbat. In July and August, first Fridays will offer a combination barbeque and pot luck dinner (at a modest charge for the barbeque only) before services, and starting in September, first Fridays will offer pot luck dinners. First Friday services will present opportunities for everyone to come to the bimah to lead a prayer, and the service will be designed to bring all of our members, young and old, together. The Biblical expression to define these evenings is "Hinei mah tov umah na'im shevet achim gam yachad -- how good and pleasant it is to sit together as brothers and sisters."
Next programming year, we will explore opportunities to partner with other synagogues to celebrate our rich Jewish heritage spiritually, religiously and socially, and to get together with non-Jewish organizations to rejoice and to perform acts of kindness and love. For example, we will continue our relationship with the liberal synagogues in joint services and the Institute for Liberal Jewish Studies, we will generate new programming with Temple Beth El, our Gesher Religious School joint venture partner, design occasions to for us to do volunteer projects as a Temple community in the Buffalo area, and have our teens do three to four community service days to help those in need.
The bottom line is that Temple Sinai will continue to grow by doing things together. I am so excited. I am so thrilled. You should be too.
Reconstructionist Judaism Makes
the Heart Joyful, Sharpens the
Mind, Brings Peace to the World.
A Teaching from Rabbi Jerry
Blessings,
Rabbi
Jerry
Rabbi
Jerry H. Seidler
Temple
Sinai
50 Alberta Drive
Amherst
, NY
14221
(716) 834-0708
www.jrf.org/templesinai
Updated:
Thursday, June 29, 2006
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