Dear Member,

We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Temple Sinai’s High Holidays Website features a countdown clock to a new year: in many ways, 5781 can’t come soon enough! At the same time, we are so grateful for the incredible generosity and support the Temple Sinai community has shown for the Honor Our Heritage Build our Future Campaign throughout 5780. We have multi-year pledges totalling approximately $9,850,000 and are approaching a 50% participation rate, with 517 of our 1186 of member families committed to the campaign.

Just before the pandemic struck, we were entering our final push to reach our financial and participation goals. We were also in the final leg of receiving DC construction permits and congregational approval for our building plans. As our community grapples with economic and social uncertainty, we have hit the pause button. On the one hand, we are itching to move ahead while the building is empty. And yet . . . we should take the time to be sure the plans will meet our post-pandemic needs.
So where are we?
First, good news: we’ve got chairs!

We moved ahead to order beautiful, comfortable and socially-distanceable chairs for the Sanctuary and Bet Am. We are proud to have supported an Ohio manufacturing facility that is producing hundreds of chairs (see photo) and began delivering them just before Labor Day. We can’t wait to see them full of people!
The Building Project
We filed our building permit application in late March and are on an active path toward approval. While we have all missed being together physically, we have learned that some activities translate well to a remote environment. The Renovation & Expansion Committee and the Board will assess our space needs — as well as our budget — before we move ahead with our infrastructure project. Your generous donations to the building project remain safe and secure in dedicated accounts and the entire congregation will be asked to approve any final building plans in the months ahead.

The Sustaining Fund
$2 million of the capital campaign is reserved for our Sustaining Fund, which supports the programs and resources that make Temple Sinai special, including social action, pastoral care, and our beloved clergy. That fund could not be more important right now. Racial and economic injustice have been laid bare this summer, and Temple Sinai’s commitment to tikkun olam and gemilut hasadim feels increasingly urgent. Our community is also facing challenging decisions related to our educational programming and the economic realities that reduced revenue can bring. Contributions to the Sustaining Fund are critical to the long-term health of our programs and staff. 

We thank you for your commitment to the Temple Sinai community, your generosity and your patience. We would be delighted to meet with any Temple Sinai member who would like to learn more about the Honor our Heritage Build our Future campaign. Please contact co-chairs Andrew Engel or Naomi Camper, or Development Coordinator Noah Benjamin, to schedule a meeting.
L’shanah tovah!
andrewisaacengel@gmail.com
naomicamper101@gmail.com