Please call prior to visiting Temple
Over the next few weeks, a number of activities may interrupt our office schedule. We are doing some upgrades and Rabbi is preparing for High Holidays, among other things. If you need to come into Temple, please call the office ahead of time to ensure we will be open to receive you.
Thanks for your patience and consideration!
Temple Sinai Phased Reopening Plan
We appreciate your patience over the last few weeks as guidelines have been changing. Please note that the Reopening Plan is dependent upon information about vaccination rates, COVID-19 variants, and changes in infection rates as Vermont reopens, as well as guidance from the CDC and state and local government, and is subject to change.
We are looking forward to seeing you back in person when you are comfortable and able to do so.
View/Download the Phased Reopening Plan (PDF) View/Download The 10 Commandments of Reopening (PDF)
Continuing Education
Wednesday Morning Jewish History Study Group
Current Book – The Last Jews of Kerala: The Two Thousand Year History of India’s Forgotten Jewish Community – Edna Fernandes
The Last Jews of Kerala narrates the rise and fall of the Black Jews and the White Jews over the centuries and within the context of the grand history of the Jewish people. It is the story of the twilight days of a people whose community will, within the next generation, cease to exist. Yet it is also a rich tale of weddings and funerals, of loyalty to family and fierce individualism, of desperation and hope.
Multi-access: Now meeting online AND in the Temple Sinai social hall!
More about “Last Jews of Kerala“
Join Us on ZOOM (passcode required)
Call the Temple Office if you need the passcode
Ohavi Zedek and Temple Sinai Present
MAKING PRAYER REAL
- Do you find prayer challenging?
- Does Hebrew or God language get in your way while trying to pray?
- Do you want to deepen your prayer life?
Join us for a class on “Making Prayer Real,” a curriculum by Rabbi Mike Comins and HUC College Commons, taught by Rabbi Amy Small, Rabbi David Edleson and Cantor Steve Zeidenberg. The class will run over a period of months.
The Making Prayer Real Curriculum
Whether you have lots of experience with Jewish prayer or not, whether you are new or rusty, this is a great class to engage your spiritual life in the context of Jewish prayer.
Upcoming classes: Sundays – July 25, August 8 | 4:00 pm
NOTE: The July 25 class has been cancelled. Stay tuned!
Young Families
Torah for Tots, Tweens and Teens!
Each week, we post Torah commentaries from the URJ specifically written for our younger crowd. Watch this space late in the week!
This week’s portion:
✡ Eikev for Tots ✡ Eikev for Tweens ✡ Eikev for Teens ✡
Community
Volunteer Opportunity – Chaverim Committee
Help deliver fresh vegetables from Jericho Settlers Farm to the South Burlington Food Shelf.
Chaverim has been delivering fresh vegetables from Jericho Settlers Farm to the South Burlington Food Shelf on Thursdays for over a year.
Volunteers are needed to pick up the vegetables in Jericho – they load for you – and deliver to the South Burlington Food Shelf on Dorset Street between 9:30 and 11:30 am on Thursdays.
Chaverim needs volunteers for the following Thursdays:
- July 22
- July 29
- September 2
Thank you Laurie Singer for having already volunteered for other Thursdays!
Please contact the Temple Administrator to volunteer.
THANK YOU!
Quick Links
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Weekly Newsletter – Click Here
Read about what’s happening in our synagogue, community, and upcoming events.
Last Week’s Newsletter
Rabbi David’s Blog
Periodic messages, sermons and announcements from the Rabbi
The Sermons…
…and nothing but the Sermons
Rabbi’s Music/Video Selections
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Religious School Updates
Meet Our New Interim Director!
Temple Sinai provides a solid foundation of Jewish studies, with classes from pre-K through high school. Watch this space for school closings and special announcements.
Learn more about our Religious School programs.
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Classes and events to broaden your Jewish knowledge
Torah Study – Every Saturday morning
Wednesday Morning Study Group – Current Book
More on our Continuing Education page
Upcoming Services (July 30-31)
Friday
Kabbalat Shabbat and Oneg– 6:30 pm
Join us back at Temple Sinai in person or online to welcome Shabbat! Come celebrate being able to worship together in the same space again! Our Kabbalat Shabbat service is filled with music, prayer, and reflection on this week’s Torah portion.
Our service will be multi-access; in person and on ZOOM
- People who are fully vaccinated with any of the federally approved COVID vaccines may attend services inside or outside, unmasked and sitting together with others.
- People who are not yet fully vaccinated may attend services indoors masked and socially distanced, and outdoors either masked or socially distanced. Parents of unvaccinated children are asked to help keep your child socially distanced and masked indoors.
Our Kabbalat Shabbat service is full of music, prayer and reflection on this week’s Torah portion.
We are using the Mishkan T’filah Siddur for our worhsip services!
Online attendees can view or download most of the pages that we normally use on Friday nights.
View/download Siddur pages for Kabbalat Shabbat (PDF)
If you will be joining us online, connect with ZOOM a few minutes prior to our start time to make sure everything is working. You will be put into an electronic “waiting room” until admitted.
Join Us on ZOOM! (passcode required)
Call the office (802-862-5125) if you need the passcode.
Immediately following services, stay around (in person or online!) for Kiddush and Oneg Shabbat.
A note about Onegs and our return to Temple
Saturday
SHABBAT MORNING SHACHARIT WORSHIP – 9:30 am
We are back in Temple!
We now welcome in-person worship (see guidelines above) and we will continue to stream worship services via ZOOM!
Our one-hour Shacharit service is rooted in the traditional chanting of prayers, but includes English readings and song as well so that all can be included. (This service does not include a Torah service.) The service is a lovely, meditative, and peaceful way to start the day. Whether we have five or fifty, in person or online, we’ll be mixing traditional chanting with songs both old and new tunes to create a prayerful space for connection.
If you wish to join us on online, plan to join our ZOOM session a few minutes prior to start time.
Join Us Saturday Morning (password required)
TORAH STUDY – 10:30 am
As we return to “normal,” we welcome you to join us in the Temple Sinai Social Hall as well as online via ZOOM for Torah Study!
We strive to maintain a vibrant exchange of ideas about the weekly Torah portion, bringing both traditional commentary and recent scholarship to the bear on the text, with a focus on Mussar. It is a lively salon style, participatory Torah Study where all are welcome to click in (with the password) OR JOIN US IN PERSON! No background or Hebrew is needed.
This week, we continue reading Deuteromomy with Parashat Eikev (Deuteronomy 7:12–11:25).
“And if you do obey these rules and observe them carefully, the Eternal your God will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers:” Deuteronomy 7:12
Moses continues his final oration, reminding the Children of Israel that only by being observant of the laws will the Eternal uphold the covenant and that the Israelites will be blessed above all other peoples. He reiterates that they will conquer the nations they will dispossess as long as they refrain from the idol worship they will encounter.
He reminds the people of the numerous trespasses they committed against the Eternal. He recounts the giving of the Ten Commandments and his own weakness and repentance at Sinai, and the numerous times he intervened when the Eternal might have destroyed them.
He retells how the people how were tested during their 40 years in the desert, and how the Eternal cared for them by providing food and keeping them clothed. He praises the land they are about to enter, saying they will want for nothing, provided they keep the Commandments they were given and pass them along to their children.
Moses again reminds the people not to commit idolatry or worship the gods of those they will conquer upon entering the Promised Land, and that if they walk in the ways of the Eternal, they will receive all the richness they have been promised.
Read the text (Hebrew and English) on sefaria.org Modern (Reform) Summary, Translation and Commentary Podcast from RJ.org
Additional links to commentary on this week’s portion for families (will open in new tabs):
✡ Eikev for Tots ✡ Eikev for Tweens ✡ Eikev for Teens ✡
Join Us for Study if you’re not already online. (password required)
Chaverim has you covered!
Need help during the COVID-19 crisis? If you need assistance with shopping, household repairs, pet care, etc., please contact our Chaverim Committee, and we’ll try to help you out with .
Want to help people in our community who are sheltering or need help? Please let the Chaverim Committee know that you are available to help people in your area.
Social Action Opportunities
Your Social Action Committee is developing a list of important volunteer activities. This list will be updated on a regular basis and will always be available on the Tikkun Olam-Social Action webpage.
