In December 2023, Virginia “Jinny” Stern’s (z”l) extended family gathered at her Northwest DC home to celebrate Thanksgiving. By the time Chanukah came around, Jinny’s children and grandchildren had returned to their homes and schools. So, she invited my husband, Howard Oppenheim, and me over to light the menorah and eat latkes. On the evening of December 16, Continue Reading »
When my twin grandsons were in the Temple Sinai Nursery School, I often picked them up at the end of the school day. Often, I would arrive early, and without them seeing me, watch them play on the playground. Now whenever I get the chance when I’m at the temple I like to look over Continue Reading »
I’ve never been able to put my finger on what draws me to faith. People keep asking me why I go to synagogue, why I keep Shabbat, why I want to be a rabbi. And I don’t have any fancy-sounding answer, because the truth is I just feel some kind of deep calling to Judaism. Continue Reading »
Authors’ Showcase 2023 The Temple Sinai Library strives to be a welcoming space for Jewish learning, study, culture, and respite for the congregation, clergy, staff and members. As the Temple Sinai librarian, I have been challenged by how best to support and lift up the many authors in our congregation. It is relatively easy if Continue Reading »
The South Addition and South Entrance officially opened on August 26, 2024 and it has been so exciting to see members and families using the new spaces. From Nursery School parents hanging out in the Community Lounge to meetings and adult education classes in the Beit Midrash to B’nei Mitzvah celebrations in the upper lobby Continue Reading »
We are excited to announce that starting Monday, August 26, the South Addition and South Entrance will officially be open for use! Over the summer weeks, construction crews have been hard at work to finish the new space. The advanced security system has been installed, the new elevator is operational, and the community lounge has Continue Reading »
One of my favorite childhood memories is my dad taking my brother and me for winter hikes in Mill Creek Park, near where we lived in Youngstown, Ohio. Sometimes my dad would pack hotdogs and buns in a backpack, and we would stop next to the stream we hiked along, and he would build a Continue Reading »
Several exciting milestones have been reached since our last update in early May! First, Temple Sinai has passed all of the inspections to receive a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for the interior of the South Addition. What does this mean? This means Temple Sinai is permitted to use the interior of the South Addition once Continue Reading »
As a long-time Temple Sinai member, I never gave much thought to the pews in the Sanctuary until I became the head of the Ritual Committee almost 20 years ago. The Ritual Committee at that time had a varied and wide-reaching jurisdiction, ranging from planning the Friday night chicken dinners, to the time of Friday Continue Reading »
As we sat enjoying our end of year pot-luck dinner on the porch of Lafe Solomon’s and Cam Crockett’s house on May 2, members of Kitah Dalet, aka The Daletniks, were trying to remember when we came together as a group of adult Hebrew learners. The best we could estimate was a little over 20 Continue Reading »