From President Jeff Cossin

October Sinai Temple Bulletin 2011

I am proud to announce that Sinai Temple has received the Shutafim ( hebrew for “Partners”) Award from the Union of Reform Judaism for its work in the Try A Syna- gogue initiative first conceived of and established by our previous president, Mark Stone. Our Temple will be honored for its “Exemplary collaboration with the Greater Springfield Synagogues and the Greater Springfield Jewish Federation” at the Washington, D.C. URJ Biennial in December 2011. I hope to be there (along with other Sinai members) and “Qvell” as Rabbi Shapiro takes part in a panel discussion on our accomplishments. But this is only the first step as we promote Try A Synagogue to our unaffiliated friends and neighbors in the Greater Springfield community. Be Proud of Sinai Temple and encourage your friends to join our Community.

During the September 2d Service with a Story, I was proud to watch our young children in Shir Fun thoroughly enjoy our Shabbat Service.They were totally engaged in the liturgy as they enthusiastically davened through the Amidah. Kudos to the Cantor who is their inspiration and to their parents who encourage them to be involved in that musical community.

Please take note of a wonderful greater Jewish community opportunity to celebrate Shabbat with all of our fellow Try A Synagogue friends on the weekend of October 28 and 29. Look carefully in this Bulletin for details.

Tekiah Gadolah! Remember my call to action during Rosh Hashanah. Community is the glue that will strengthen our Temple. Get involved with the Chavurot program. Greet the stranger in the parking lot and inside the Temple and include him in your conversations. Make new friends in the Oneg Shabbat Room. Put on a name tag and greet others by their name. Do not let anyone stand by him or herself.

If you have any concerns or suggestions or compliments, email me at PHOhead@aol.com or call me at 567-7320.

L’Shalom Jeff Cossin

September Sinai Temple Bulletin 2011

I am proud and excited to be able to lead Sinai Temple as your president for the next two years. I look forward to greeting all of you and addressing our wonderful Sinai Community not only during the High Holidays but also when we see each other during the year. I am not so naïve to believe that I will actually get the opportunity to greet all of you but I encourage you to contact me either at home at 567-7320 or via EMAIL at PHOhead@aol.com. As many of you know I do have a hectic day job being a physician so I ask for your patience in my response to your correspondence. Some of you have already made some great suggestions to me face to face. But may I suggest that you email me or write me at the Temple. Not only will I then have a permanent record of your thoughts but I can then respond efficiently and can route your comments and suggestions to the appropriate committee heads, Board members, office staff or Professional Staff.

Our Sinai Community is very fortunate this year to have several new committee chairpeople. I am happy to welcome to our leadership team Karen Mendelsohn, chair of the Membership Committee, Kathy Roberts, chair of the Social Action Committee, Steven Kessler, chair of the Ritual Committee, Ilene Conklin, chair of the Fundraising Committee and Alan Goldsmith, chair of the Finance Committee.

Sinai’s participation in the Try A Synagogue initiative continues this year with an Open House for the entire unaffiliated Jewish community on Wednesday September 14, 2011, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. If you have friends who do not belong to a synagogue please suggest that they come to one or all of the three synagogues that evening. I would love to have them join our Community.

I am excited to “raffle” off the PRESIDENTIAL PARKING SPACE at the rear entrance to the Temple . For FIVE dollars you may have the opportunity to park very close to the back entrance to Sinai for the entire year. Enter the raffle as many times as you would like. If you are lucky maybe I will even wash your car. Please go to the Temple website or to the Temple office to purchase your ticket.

Above all, when you enter our Sinai Home, starting in the parking lot, PLEASE say hello FIRST to someone you do NOT know and tell them your name. It will be a Mitzvah for the two of you and maybe a new friendship will be created. At the very least TWO smiles will be created and you will both be welcomed into our Community that day.

On behalf of the Executive Committee and Board of Sinai Temple, I pray that the New Year will be a sweet one with good health and happiness for all of us, and by using our 2011-12 Ten Commandments as a guidepost we will continue to create a Sacred Community at Sinai Temple.

(Messages from former President Mark Stone 2009-2011)

(Messages from former President Dave Roberts 2007-2009)

(Messages from former President Steve Weiss 2005-2007)