Judaism teaches us that the world is sustained by three things: study, prayer and acts of loving kindness. We need to grow our physical space so that we can open our doors to all who wish to participate in Jewish life, and to allow our hearts and minds to continue to grow spiritually. Then we can truly live up to the words written above our sanctuary doors, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for ALL people.”
- Cantor Ilene Keys
Of all the reasons to support Im Tirzu, Temple Sinai’s capital campaign, one of the most important is that Temple Sinai is a community that embraces all who seek to participate in the richness of Jewish life with a warm and welcoming spirit.
This true community spirit – the strength and character of our temple — comes from the participation of all the members of our community. The Im Tirtzu project to expand and modernize our congregational campus is critical to ensuring that Temple Sinai remains a vibrant and vital force for Jewish life in the East Bay. The project will also ensure that the outstanding services, programs, and activities that we have come to expect for our families and others in our community will continue.
This is a once–in–a–generation opportunity to invest in the future of our Temple, and to give to future generations what others have given to us — a strong and dynamic congregation that is housed in buildings and spaces that serve the educational, social, and spiritual needs of our current and future members.
Ensuring the viability of our community is at the very core of our Jewish values. Throughout our history, within Israel and the Diaspora, giving tzedakah to support the “kupah”or community fund was considered an expression of devotion to the entire Jewish people.
Today, we have an opportunity to carry on the tradition of supporting the “kupah” as a way to strengthen our own East Bay Jewish community. By investing in a modernized and expanded campus, we are not only ensuring the continued vitality of our own community, but that future generations of East Bay Jews will have a place to gather, learn and worship together.
