Temple Sinai Supports the Quest for a Secure, Just, and Durable Peace for Israel, Palestinians, and its Arab neighbors

  In 2023, Temple Sinai established the Committee for Israel Engagement and Social Justice (CIESJ) to grow Temple Sinai’s engagement in issues concerning Israel, to support Israel’s as it strives to achieve its ideals as a Jewish and democratic State, and to work with the wider Jewish community to achieve these objectives. Read the full text of the CIESJ mission. CIESJ endeavors to bring speakers and other programing to the Temple Sinai and Greater Washington Jewish community to enhance our understanding of the crisis in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The Moment We Are In, The Future We Pray For
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) released a statement on January 30, 2024 laying out the steps that it hopes Israelis and Palestinians will take to achieve a peaceful future that will assure Israel security and allow self-determination and self-government for Palestinians. Read it here.

Upcoming CIESJ Programs

Updates & Resources

Financial Support

  • CIESJ makes donations from the Israel Engagement and Social Justice Fund and ARZA Fund accounts to support organizations at the front lines of the progressive movement. Learn more.
  • CIESJ’s work is made possible by contributions from temple members. You can help support additional donations by contributing here.

Contact Us

Robert Snyder, CIESJ Committee Chair
bob@robertgsnyder.com

Announcing Our Partnership with Temple Ramot Shalom

Temple Sinai has begun a twinning relationship with a small, growing Reform congregation in Be’er Sheva, Israel, the largest city in the Negev and home to Ben Gurion University.  This relationship was facilitated by the Israel Movement for Progressive and Reform Judaism (IMPJ) and its Domim program, which is designed to create lasting meaningful, and dynamic relationships between Reform congregations in North American and Israel.  The relationship will seek to develop personal bonds between members of each congregation and build deeper understanding and ties between Israeli and diaspora communities. 

Congregation Ramot Shalom, which is a young emerging congregation, includes many English speakers as well as immigrants from the former Soviet Union and Israelis with little experience with the Reform movement.  Some of the activities that we may engage in together include attending virtual services, holiday celebrations, cultural experiences (movie and book reading discussions), social action projects, and b’nai mitzvah projects. 

Periodic activities will be announced.  If you want further information or wish to be involved, please contact Melanie Aron at rabbiaron@shirhadash.org.

Past CIESJ Programs

Previous speakers, discussions, services, and sermons:
 
Sermons from Our Clergy

Lessons from History: Israel in Crisis (pdf)
Rabbi Jonathan Roos, Yom Kippur 5784 Evening (Kol Nidrei) Sermon (September 24, 2023)

 

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