Temple Sinai is a participatory congregation and all members are encouraged to join groups, focus teams, activities and programs to enhance their membership experience. Please refer to the list of contacts and focus team chairpersons for more information and volunteer opportunities.

In keeping with the mission of the temple to promote and support lifelong learning, this focus team plans, promotes, and oversees educational programming for Temple Sinai adults. Responsibilities: to propose course ideas and find teachers for adult programming, publicize educational programming and to encourage attendance within the Templemembership. This committee plans and carries out the annual Scholar in Residence Program. Meetings occur 3-4 times per year.

Informs the congregation about what is happening in Israel, advocates for Israel and the Israeli people.

This focus team helps to maintain the temple infrastructure. Responsibilities include, monitoring of the facility for cleanliness and/or damage, security and safety. Monthly meetings.

This focus team manages the procurement and sales of cemetery plots to congregants.

Plans and organizes children’s High Holy Day programming at the JCC – summer commitment.

The College Connection is a committee that helps to keep our college students “connected” with TempleSinaiand Judaism. The committee sends out care packages 3 times a year to each student on the connection roster. The packages contain holiday-related items, including food, a song sheet or prayer and a note. Please let the Templeoffice know if you would like to add a student’s name to the list.

Develops and implements programs to meet the diverse needs of our congregation. 6 – 8 meetings per year.

Special event planning such as Shabbat Shira, Scholar in Residence, Life Links and family issues, and meets as needed.

Educates the congregation about the Endowment Program, meets with individuals about charitable giving opportunities, and oversees incoming gifts, investments and distribution of funds according to donor and endowment guidelines.

Ensures the financial well-being of the temple, prepares the annual budget, issues a financial report to the board of directors on a monthly basis, and oversees investment strategies of the investment focus team – monthly meetings.

Explore, organize and promote fundraising projects consistent with the temple’s mission.

Invests and monitors assets of the temple in accordance with our mission.

Creates a short term High Holy Days sanctuary the JCC, moves temple property and supplies for Rosh Hashanah and back to the temple after Yom Kippur – 2 summer meetings.

The purpose of the membership focus team is to encourage temple affiliation, welcome new members and promote temple member involvement. Focus team members call and /or meet with prospective members to provide information about the temple. It is also the responsibility of this committee to put together and deliver new member welcome baskets, coordinate the membership directory program, plan and implement the annual new member Shabbat dinner and to organize and facilitate the new member orientation sessions. Meetings are scheduled on an as needed basis.

This focus team responds to families and individuals at times of joy and celebration as well as difficult times such as illness or death. Responsibilities include: preparation and delivery of “condolence baskets”, assisting with meals and transportation in times of need, purchase and delivery of gifts to newly married couples, families with a new baby or recent converts. Meetings on an as needed basis.

Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network (RAIHN) 
As a host congregation we provide shelter and hospitality to homeless families 4 times per year for one week intervals. Teams of volunteers plan and provide meals, shop for supplies, supervise and plan guest activities, set up and break down beds, etc.

The religious practices focus team represents the temple membership by implementing and establishing guidelines designed to enhance the religious and spiritual life of TempleSinai. Focus team members participate in monthly meetings focused on a wide range of topics including templeKashrutpolicy, High Holiday planning and all aspects of Shabbat services.

This focus team serves as lay support for the professional and educational staff. Members work with the Education Director to formulate policies of the Religious School and advocate for the education program at TempleSinai. In conjunction with the Education Director, the team creates and oversees student programming and school functions and deals with school issues and concerns. The team also oversees supports and helps to set policy for the preschool program including Tot-Shabbat. Responsibilities include: religious school registration and orientation, teacher appreciation activities and Mitzvah Day school projects. Meetings are held monthly.

The purpose of this committee is to involve the temple membership in issues of social concern and action within the local, national and international communities. Specific needs or problems in the community are addressed through projects with existing social service agencies and interfaith groups. The committee informs congregants about individual volunteer opportunities in the community, sponsors educational and discussion groups/forums on social and individual issues, advocates on behalf of the congregation for current social issues and keeps members informed via the Internet on current issues that require immediate attention. The committee participates in activities on Mitzvah Day and sponsors regular programs at Dimitri House, AsburyDiningCenter, Life Links, the Islamic Center and the BaberAMEChurch. Meetings are held monthly.

The Special Needs focus team provides a forum for those with special needs and to ensure that Temple Sinai is accessible in every way possible so that each member and guest feels welcome and is able to participate in all temple activities. Responsibilities include: planning programming for the Special Needs Shabbat Service, assessing needs for modifications to the building and the initiation and implementation of those changes, fundraising to pay for needed modifications, and participating in community outreach, i.e., adopt a group home project. Meetings: every 6-8 weeks.

Assists with purchase, support and maintenance of the temple’s computer/network equipment, website, and communications systems.

The Temple Life focus team organizes most of the social events that are held at Temple Sinai. Many of these are associated with holiday celebrations such as the Chanukah dinner, while others, such as a “coffee house evening”, are held to encourage Temple members to get to know one another in a comfortable setting. There are opportunities for those who want to become active members of the committee to help with the planning and carrying out of events. Working on this committee is a wonderful way to get to know others who are actively involved in making our congregation the friendly and lively organization that it is.

The Youth focus team works closely with the two Temple Sinai youth groups and their advisors to assist in programming needs, providing adult volunteers, and to serve as a resource. Team also works with elementary age kids organizing fun social events for both school sessions.

Definition of a Committee: A group of people officially delegated to perform a function, such as investigating, considering, reporting, or acting on a matter. Sounds really appealing doesn’t it?!! Not too many of us jump for joy when we are contacted and asked to “serve” (note the word) on this or that committee. Notice that in an organization with a traditional committee structure, committees exist purely to do the work of the organization.

Definition of a Temple Sinai Focus Team: The primary function of a Temple Sinai Focus Team is to provide a means for congregants to get together and establish relationships with one another by working in areas of common interest. A PRIMARY objective of focus teams is to connect congregants with one another and to establish ongoing relationships and friendships. The work to be accomplished is viewed as an outgrowth of this relationship building. This represents a fundamental difference in focus. Consistent with Temple Sinai’s vision (which I wrote about last month) and our mission and goals, as well as our renewed commitment to relationship and community building in our congregation, the focus team approach to getting the congregation’s work done is, I believe, a much closer fit than the traditional committee model.

The focus team approach also:

• Provides opportunities for members to shape the operation and direction of Temple Sinai
• Establishes open and inclusive environments which foster creative discussion
• Affords individual congregants a better understanding of the mission, vision, accomplishments, and challenges of the synagogue
• Provides an egalitarian mechanism for the fulfillment of the mission, vision and goals of TempleSinai
• Expedites the work of and encourages the flow of information back and forth to the officers and the Board of Trustees
• Provides training for future leaders
• Encourages the sharing of decision-making responsibilities across a broad group of congregants
• Affords members opportunities for personal growth and increased Jewish learning