Friday, May 3

6:30 pm Confirmation Shabbat Service & Oneg

Join us for a special Shabbat service as we celebrate our 10th grade confirmands’ learning at Temple Sinai. The service will be followed by an oneg.

Virtual Details

Israel Shabbat: Service & Discussion

Friday, May 10 starting at 6:30 pm

Join us in person or virtually for a special musical Shabbat in the round in observance of Yom HaAtzma’ut, Israeli Independence Day.

No registration necessary; click here for virtual details

South Addition, Phase 2, Update 23

A lot has happened over the past few weeks as our construction team has taken advantage of our schools’ Spring and Passover Breaks!

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TSWRJ Hike

Sunday, May 5 at 9:00 am

Meet the WRJ for a hike at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center parking lot, next to the water fountain. No RSVPs necessary. Questions? Contact Liz Brenner.

Upcoming dates: June 2, July 7, August 4, September 8

Erev Yom HaShoah Trip to US Holocaust Museum

Sunday, May 5 at 1:45 pm

Join Cantor Rhodes and Rabbi Roos for group visit to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum with a short memorial ceremony afterward in the Hall of Remembrance.

Learn More & Register

Registration deadline: Thursday, May 2 at 4:00 pm

Daytimers

Monday, May 6 at 1:00 pm

Join us for Inseparable: The Hess Twins' Holocaust Journey through Bergen-Belsen to America with Holocaust survivor Marion Ein Lewin. This month's program is hybrid. Join us in person at Temple Sinai or via Zoom.

Register

Rabbi's Class

Tuesday, May 7 at 10:00 am

Join us in person or virtually as we study Chasidic teachings, especially as applied today outside Orthodox circles in what is commonly called “Neo-Chasidism.” This class is taught by Rabbi Jonathan Roos. Our last session for the year will be on May 21.

Learn more

From the TS Library: National Day of Prayer

Open My Lips: Prayers and Poems by Rachel Barenblat (2017)

This volume of contemporary liturgical poetry is both a poetry collection and an aid to devotional prayer, bringing forth renewed and renewing adaptations of, and riffs on, classical Jewish liturgy.

The Book of Blessings: New Jewish Prayers for Daily Life, the Sabbath, and the New Moon Festival by Marcia Falk (1999)

A deeply poetic re-creation of Jewish prayer that offers new blessings, poems, and meditations for Sabbath, holiday, and everyday observance as a more contemporary, egalitarian approach to traditional liturgy.

Sammy Spider's First Book of Prayers by Sylvia A. Rouss (2020)

Sammy Spider watches Josh Shapiro and his family as they recite prayers for a variety of occasions. This first Jewish prayer book uses engaging, rhyming text to introduce children to daily and Shabbat prayers. Ages 4-9

To borrow these or other books email the librarian. To access the catalogue and see library news, visit our homepage.

This Week at TSRS

2024-2025 Registration: Monday, May 6 at 10:00 am

Member Registration for the 2024-2025 school year opens! Check out our program offerings here and log in to the Member Portal for registration access beginning on Monday at 10:00 am.

Teacher Appreciation

Please join us in showing appreciation to all of our TSRS Teachers and Madrichim.

Contribute

Tot Shabbat Playdate

Saturday, May 4 at 9:30 am

We’ll gather together to celebrate Shabbat, play, and enjoy some challah and juice too.

No RSVP necessary; we’ll be on the playground or inside if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Best for children ages 0-5 and their families.

TSNS Auction Update

The Temple Sinai Nursery School Spring Soiree and Auction on April 20 was an enormous success thanks to the incredible leadership of our Chairs, Alanna Tievsky, Genevieve Ray, and Emily Goodstein, and the generosity of our Nursery School and greater Temple Sinai community. While the auction is closed (be on the lookout for next year’s event to bid on more great items!), it is not too late to donate to TSNS to help fund school operations and our new financial assistance and professional development initiatives. To donate, please click this link and then press the “Make a general donation” button. Thank you for your support of our early childhood program!

What’s with the Green Bins? Temple Sinai is Composting! 

Next time you eat at the temple, instead of tossing your leftover food, plate, fork, and napkin in a garbage can, drop them in one of the new green composting bins – and you’ll be doing a mitzvah! As part of our commitment to climate action and reducing food waste, we recently launched a composting program for food scraps and paper goods. Please take the time to time to learn what can and can’t go in the green bins and pay attention to the signage.

Read more

Watch our training video

Temple Sinai Night at Undesign The Redline

Thursday, May 9, 5:30-7:00 pm

Meet us at the Cleveland Park Library (3310 Connecticut Ave., NW) to view Undesign The Redline, an interactive exhibit that invites us to reflect on government policies that created the legacies of structural racism in the United States and in DC. We'll meet in the Library lobby and tour the exhibit together. Those of us who are interested can walk across the street to Nanny O'Brien's Irish Pub to enjoy further conversation.

RSVP here

Washington CityPaper's article about the exhibit is here. Temple Sinai and the Davis Center are co-sponsors of the exhibit, along with other synagogues and houses of worship.

Get Out the Vote Postcard Party

Saturday, May 11, 3:00-4:00 pm

Join us at Temple Sinai to “pray with your hands”: pick up VA postcard packets, visit with other postcard writers, and even write a card or two from your packet. Refreshments will be served. If you can’t attend, you’ll receive alternate instructions for picking up your packets.

RSVP

CIESJ Recommends

The Committee for Israel Engagement and Social Justice continues to compile materials meant to provide a range of thoughtful opinion and analysis pieces that supplement the basic factual reporting that people follow in their regular media intake.

Read this week's recommendations

Tricia Davis 5K: One Week from Sunday!

Mothers' Day: Sunday, May 12

Sign up now!

Not a runner or a walker? Sign up to Volunteer!

This year's race will feature:

• Warm-ups led by James Parker-Ashley of HiddenGyms begin at 7:45 am
• Flower Power One-Mile Fun Run starting at 9 am (No hills)
• Virtual Race to participate at a time and place of your choosing
• T-shirt for all in-person and virtual participants.

Questions? Email SinaiHouseTriciaDavis5K@gmail.com

In the Community

JCRC Annual Holocaust Commemoration (Livestream)

Sunday, May 5 at 2:00 pm

All are invited to join a poignant and meaningful tribute that brings together the community to reflect and strengthen our resolve at a difficult time of unprecedented antisemitism around the globe.

Learn more

31st Federal Interagency Holocaust Remembrance Program (Livestream)

Wednesday, May 8 at 11:30 am

Stories of Courage featuring Holocaust survivors Ruth Cohen and Allan Hall. Moderated by Ellen Germain, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues, US Department of State.

Learn more

Adas Israel Shabbat Talk with Dr. Jonatan (Yoni) Shimshoni

Saturday, May 11 at 1:00 pm | Adas Israel Congregation (2850 Quebec St. NW)

Dr. Brigadier General (Ret.) Jonatan (Yoni) Shimshoni served for 25 years in the IDF in field command and staff positions and continued for many years in the reserves, working on doctrine and technology policy.

Learn more

OUDC Social Justice Fellowship for HS Juniors

Apply through Friday, May 17

Operation Understanding DC (OUDC) is beginning to recruit students for its Social Justice Fellowship program for high school juniors beginning in September and last through the end of the school year. OUDC is a 30-year-old non-profit organization based in the Washington DC region whose mission is to create a generation of community leaders who promote respect, understanding, and cooperation while fighting to eradicate racism, anti-Semitism, and all forms of discrimination. 

Learn more