About Our Funds
Making a contribution to Temple Sinai is a wonderful way to honor a loved one's memory or acknowledge a special occasion. Please see a description of each fund and it's purpose below.
If you have any further questions please contact our office at
(585) 381-6890
To Make a Contribution Click Here
Non-Endowment Funds
The non-endowment funds are meant to be spent as needs come along and to fulfill parts of the budget.
Accessibility and Inclusion
To pay for capital improvements and purchase of equipment so that everyone may have access to programs and facilities; to pay interpreters and other special needs assistants. To pay for programming.
Adult Education
To support adult education programs.
Building
For the purchase of building furnishings and capital improvements. Specific large repair and maintenance items can be paid for with Board of Trustees approval.
Cantor Discretionary
Used for a variety of charitable and educational purposes, as well as for musical programming within Temple and the community at the Cantor's discretion.
College Connection
To send Temple’s college students High Holiday and Passover packages and other items to maintain their connection with Temple
Floral Fund
For the purchase of interior plants and flowers.
General Operating
Helps defray the operating costs of the congregation and supplement the operating budget.
Israel Programming
To promote Israel-related programming at Temple.
Israel Youth and Study
To support Temple youth who participate in accredited travel/education programs in Israel.
Joel Bloom Memorial
Used to maintain the garden and fund special programs within the realms of Jewish music and entertainment.
Music
Provide special music programs for the congregation, help supplement ongoing musical activities such as youth music groups and choir; provide appropriate materials.
Library
To purchase library materials, reference books, literature and computer material.
Mitzvah Connection
Provides for response to our individual families at times of joy and celebration, as well as difficult times such as illness or death.
Next Stage
To enhance programming for the Baby Boomers and Beyond community of practice population
Oneg
Provides additional funding for Onegs.
Prayerbook
Provides for the purchase and repair of prayer books and Torah books.
President’s Discretionary
President can use contributed funds for any temple or socially beneficial activities.
Rabbi Katz/Rabbi Till Discretionary
Used for scholarships and a variety of charitable and educational purposes, as well as for projects within the Temple and the community at the Rabbi's discretion.
RAIHN (Rochester Area Interfaith Hospitality Network)
To support Temple Sinai’s participation in RAIHN and make contributions to central RAIHN organization.
Religious School
To provide for unbudgeted school needs including scholarships for students with financial needs.
Robin Shiffrin URJ Campership
To contribute up to $250 towards the cost of a first time camper at a URJ summer camp.
Schoenfeld Social Action
Devoted to Tikkun Olam, to support social action projects.
Sinai Youth Group
To support youth activities
Ted Rothschild Art and Cultural
To assist with purchase and maintenance of artwork to enhance the beauty of our synagogue, increase our exposure to works of art with religious significance. Contributions also support programming in the fields of art, drama, literature and Judaic studies.
Torah Restoration
To be used for Torah repairs
Tree of Life Leadership
To promote leadership development and support participation in URJ conferences.
Windows of Light/Habitat
Currently being used to fund Temple Sinai’s contribution to the Interfaith Habitat for Humanity Building Projects that we have been involved in and to fund our next Habitat House.
Endowment Funds
Temple Sinai invests the endowed capital. The endowments are there in perpetuity, and generally yield about 4% per year as a contribution to various parts of the budget. Therefore, the capital is never touched, ensuring that the donor’s gift is a permanent source of funding. It's a gift that keeps on giving.
Cultural Endowment
Income from the endowment principal supports substantive programming in the fields of art, drama, literature and Judaic studies. These programs help enrich the Jewish community at large as well as enhance Temple Sinai's place within the community.
General Endowment
Income is to be used to supplement annual budget income; principal is forever restricted
Shabbat Family Program Endowment
To have daytime Shabbat family intergenerational programming.
Youth Endowment
The annual income is used for youth group programming
Tue, August 11 2020
21 Av 5780
CLICK HERE to view the July 27th Lay-Led Shabbat Service
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LETTER TO THE TEMPLE SINAI CONGREGATION
We stand at a profound moment in our country’s long struggle with racial inequality. Fueled by the murder and other acts of harm and indignity toward people of color, there is renewed focus on engaging our communities in direct conversations about systemic racism. Now is the time for our Temple community to join in this deeply meaningful dialogue and, by calling on our foundational Reform Jewish values of justice and dignity for all, lead the call for substantial change.
Leviticus 19:16 teaches us not to stand idly by the blood of our neighbors. Our Jewish obligation for pikuach nefesh, saving lives, compels us to work together to ensure safety, justice and dignity for all. Each person is created b‘Tzelem Elohim, in the image of God.
This perspective is supported by Reform Judaism’s national leadership. We respectfully ask that you take a few minutes to read Reform Jewish Leadership Statement: Black Lives Matter is a Jewish Value (Click here for link).
Have there been legitimate concerns raised within the Jewish community regarding the history of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement? Yes.
Here is a statement by Rabbi Josh Weinberg, URJ VP for Israel and Reform Zionism and Executive Director of ARZA addressing this topic:
(The full article is Why I am a Zionist for Black Lives Matter (Click here for link).
“Supporting BLM today is not joining with people who have extremely objectionable views on Israel, it’s about supporting an urgent moral cause to dismantle a system that threatens and systemically destroys the lives of Black and Brown people in our country. Just because we march together in support of Black lives does not mean we see eye-to-eye on Israel with everyone in the movement. We will continue to take a stand against BDS [Boycott, Divestment & Sanction] and the delegitimization of Israel while we support Black lives.”
On Wednesday the Temple Sinai Board of Trustees met to consider the Social Action Committee’s (SAC) recommendation to place a Black Lives Matter sign at the entrance to our driveway. The Board unanimously approved that recommendation and agreed with SAC that the Black Lives Matter message is firmly rooted in our Jewish tradition.
This perspective is shared by our own clergy. Rabbi Katz, Rabbi Till and Cantor Braun are unequivocally opposed to the delegitimization of Israel and to the BDS Movement, but they support justice for all people. At this watershed moment for our country, they support Black Lives Matter and the placing of a sign at Temple.
Our Jewish obligation to act does not begin and end with a Black Lives Matter sign. This public statement is one piece of our Social Action Committee’s broader anti-racism efforts, including opportunities for congregants to engage in self-education, book discussion groups, tzedakah, community fora, relationship-building, police accountability work, and legislative advocacy.
If we honor Jewish values of justice and human dignity by addressing our country’s long history of racism and inequality, then we must be ready to engage in challenging conversations. We know not every congregant will agree with the Board’s decision or seek to be involved in the SAC’s programming. We have faith that as a compassionate and loving community we have the ability to engage in dialogue and disagreement within a space of trust and shared values.
Guided by the wisdom that “there is no justice until there is justice for all,” we believe this is a moment when we must act on this obligation.
Rabbi Till
Cantor Braun
Board of Trustees
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