Temple Sinai uses a modified fair share model. We were founded to live our progressive values, so we ask members to contribute based on a fair share of their current financial capacity. We remain committed to welcoming all members regardless of their financial situation.
Our base Community Commitment (or what you may think of as dues) for the current fiscal year starts at $3450 for those with adjusted gross household incomes below $200,000. The table below sets out our Community Commitment levels for households with adjusted gross incomes over $200,000. Members whose gross household income is above $450,000 are encouraged to make commitments equal to approximately 2% of their adjusted gross income.
| Adjusted Household Gross Income | Community Commitment |
|---|---|
| Below $200,000 | $3,450 |
| $200,000 – $249,999 | $4,575 |
| $250,000 – $299,999 | $5,400 |
| $300,000 – $349,999 | $6,225 |
| $350,000 – $399,999 | $7,025 |
| $400,000 – $449,000 | $7,850 |
| Above $450,000 | 2% of gross household income suggested or join the Shorashim Society |
Yes! Individuals who are 35 and under can join for $360/year. Families whose oldest child is below kindergarten age can choose a steeply discounted Community Commitment rate of $720 until their oldest child becomes religious school eligible. Individuals who are 70 and over can choose a Community Commitment of $2,400.
We also have reduced rates for full-time students and active members of the military.
Of course! We will be happy to work with you to find a Community Commitment that is appropriate to your individual circumstances. We want Temple Sinai to be a home for everyone and we are committed to never having financial reasons be a barrier to membership.
In addition to the community commitment, for the first five years of membership, members with Community Commitments of $1,000 or more pay the Capital Fund. The Capital Fund is $350 a year and will be automatically added to your account.
Every household is also expected to pay a yearly security fee to protect our community during these challenging and costly times.
We send out statements monthly via e-mail. Our fiscal year runs from June 1 – May 31, and you can pay your Community Commitment on a schedule that works for you – for example, all at once, quarterly, or monthly.
You can pay online by credit card or ACH, or you can mail in a check. We ask that ¼ of your Community Commitment payment is received by August 1 (prior to the High Holidays). There are individual payment deadlines for Religious School and the Temple Sinai Nursery School.
Religious School tuition will appear on your temple statement the first day of the month following your registration. Full payment or an automatic payment plan must be set up before classes begin in September. Failure to complete your tuition payment on time will result in a delay in receiving your child’s class assignments for the school year.
Temple Sinai prides itself on having a rich and robust program that is also flexible. The program also grows with your child and your family.
We have two options for kindergarten enrollment at Temple Sinai. Our B’yachad Family Program is once a month on Sunday mornings. For members, we also offer our B’yachad PLUS program – which is our B’yachad Family Kindergarten program plus Sunday school classes for Kindergarteners without their families on the intermediate weeks when Sunday School is in session.
For first through fifth graders we offer a Sunday school program that meets for two hours per week during the school year. You can sign up for either of two sessions (8:30-10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m.-1 p.m.).
Students studying for their Bar/Bat/Bet Mitzvah can choose from a variety of in-person and digital options for Hebrew instruction beginning in fourth grade.
Students in sixth-tenth grade meet on weekday evenings for a variety of exciting programming modeled on best practices for informal pre-teen and teen education.
You can learn more about Temple Sinai’s education program here. If you would like to discuss the religious school program or how it might fit into your family schedule you can sign up here to speak with Cantor Rebecca Robins to learn more.
Nursery school families whose oldest child is below kindergarten age are offered membership at no cost. You can learn more about our Nursery School here.
Yes! Temple Sinai is deeply committed to welcoming members come from a wide range of backgrounds. We welcome everyone equally and everyone can participate in our ritual events including family members who do not identify as Jews or were not raised Jewish.
We have nearly 1200 member households. This makes us bigger than many reform congregations in the area, but smaller than others. We see our size as an asset because we can provide a wide variety of programs, services, and activities but also are able to make Temple Sinai feel small and homey through our affinity groups, committees, programs, and activities.
Shabbat is a time for celebration, contemplation, and community. We have services every Friday night, generally starting at 6:30 pm. These services integrate different styles and liturgies but share a welcoming approach for someone participating for the first time or someone participating every week. From September – June, we also have services on Saturday mornings at 10:30 am, at which we have B’nei Mitzvahs. Most Saturday mornings we also offer a clergy-led Torah Study. Two Saturdays a month, we also have Kehillat Shabbat at 10:30 am. This is a lay lead service.
Our members come to services in a wide range of dress, from jeans and sneakers to suits. We want you to be comfortable, so come as you are or dress up. We love to see you no matter what you are wearing! We do ask that you refrain from wearing heavy scents as a curtesy to members with allergies.
Yes! Each Friday night service is usually preceded by an oneg, which gives people a chance to schmooze and have a snack. We have monthly Family Shabbat dinners, with activities and an intergenerational service. We also typically host 1-2 other community dinners a year, following Friday night services.
So much! Temple Sinai prides itself on being an intergenerational community that welcomes families with open arms. From naming ceremonies to Tot Shabbat library story times to family Shabbat dinners to youth choirs, we have a place for you and your children that will grow along with your family. In addition to programming, Temple Sinai is a place where young families have the chance to build a community with their Jewish peers. Please check out our family programming page for more information.