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From Rabbi Rick Rheins Feeding the Hungry Feeds the Soul When there are those in need important way to help out. If you are interested or among you in any of your would like more information, please contact Nancy at settlements in the land that [email protected]. Adonai your God is giving you, do not harden your heart Of course, if you know of a hungry family, please share and shut your hand against them. Rather, you must open with them this vital information as to how they can use your hand and give whatever they need. Give readily and the Weinberg Food Pantry. First-time clients must call have no regrets when you do so, for in return Adonai your 720-248-4716 to set up an appointment. The God will bless you in all your efforts and in all pantry is located at 3201 South Tamarac Drive your undertakings. For there will never cease to It is a fun and (just down the street from Temple Sinai, and be needy ones in your land, which is why I uplifing habit to east of I-25). command you: open your hand to the poor and simply bring a needy. (Deut. 15) The Festival of Sukkot marks the blessed time can of veggies of harvest and thanksgiving. It is a time of Hunger is not a third world problem. Hunger is celebration for our plentiful bounty. Indeed, a human problem and it plagues our friends whenever you the most significant way to express and neighbors. Once again, Temple Sinai will visit Temple. appreciation for our good fortune is to share proudly participate in a community food drive with those in need. Hopefully, through the during the High Holy Days. Thanks to you, our Temple collective and dedicated efforts of our Sinai members and lobby will be filled with bags and boxes of food that will JFS, we will help make 5777 a year during which our go to feed the thousands of families in the Denver area hungry and impoverished neighbors will at long last have who are desperately hungry. Our concerted effort makes enough to eat. a tremendous difference. However, the problem of hunger cannot be relieved by a one-time annual food Susan, Joshua, Sam, and Jakob join me in wishing you drive. The number of families who require assistance is and your loved ones a sweet year filled with God’s so great that we really need to do what we can to help blessings of good health, happiness and prosperity. throughout the year. L’Shanah Tovah teka-tay-vu ve-t’cha-tay-mu, v’Chag Yana Vishnitsky, the wonderful Jewish Family Service Sukkot Sameiach, CEO who will be retiring this year, joins me in asking all to bring canned goods to Temple Sinai as ofen as possible. There are so many in need in our Denver community that the heavy demand has drastically reduced the Weinberg Food Pantry stocks. There simply is not enough food to give to hungry families. The pantry is especially in need of canned fruit. The High Holy Days and the Sukkot Festival are especially blessed times to help the needy. In addition, throughout the year it is a fun and uplifing habit to simply bring a can of fruit or veggies whenever you visit Temple Sinai. When you come for services, what a special feeling you’ll have knowing that your prayers are accompanied by the blessed act of feeding the needy. When our kids attend Religious School or a Youth Group event, what a tremendous lesson you’ll be teaching the younger generation about tzedakah and our concern for those less fortunate than we are. Rabbi Susan Rheins with teens from Ramat HaNegev, Israel. Did you know that families and individuals can volunteer to help at JFS Weinberg Food Pantry? Nancy Benyamin, a Temple Sinai member, is JFS’s Volunteer Services Director, and she can help you find a meaningful and !1 What is Yizkor? Ritual Column Yizkor is a special memorial service that is held four times a year, on the last day of the Festivals of Sukkot (Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah), Passover and Shavuot and on Yom Kippur. Yizkor is a sacred time during which we remember our loved ones who have died. It is a long standing tradition to make a charitable contribution to the synagogue to honor their memory. The spiritual power of Yizkor is expressed in the prayers Yizkor Elohim (may God remember) and in the chanting of El Malei Rachamim (in which one prays that the souls of our deceased loved ones are joined in the bond of eternal life). For those who have suffered the loss of a close relative, attendance at Yizkor services is considered an especially loving and sacred duty. There will be a Yizkor service on the afernoon of Yom Kippur (October 12) and another Yizkor service at Temple Sinai during the Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah service on Monday, October 24 at 10:00 a.m. Family Rosh HaShanah Service and Tashlich at WESTLANDS Park! 1st Day of Rosh HaShanah Monday, October 3 at 4:00 p.m. Followed by Tashlich at 5:00 p.m. Yom Kippur Afernoon By popular demand, this year we will once again have Discussion Session our Family Rosh HaShanah service in the Park. We’ll be Wednesday, October 12 at 2:15 p.m. at the beautiful Westlands Park off of Quebec and Orchard in Greenwood Village (just behind the It is a long-standing Temple Sinai tradition to offer an Greenwood Athletic Club). adult discussion session on Yom Kippur afernoon. This Afer the family service, we will continue with the fun is an especially meaningful time for members to share and meaningful ritual of Tashlich. This is a time- their thoughts on timely and pertinent ethical and honored tradition whereby we “cast out” our sins and moral issues. disappointments from the past year. This is an especially delightful event for families with children. The discussion will be led by the Spirituality Committee As we symbolically rid ourselves of sins, we usher in and moderated by Joe Epstein. The topic will be the New Year 5777 with a new and fresh start to life. “reflections on courage and renewal afer a loss.” How does one process reflection, reconciliation and Both services are open and free to all. Don’t forget to compassion and move forward into a more meaningful bring some bread crumbs! New Year? How may these High Holy Days bring courage and connection into our community? Healing Service Thursday, October 20 at 11:00 a.m. For our Healing Service, we gather together in the sacred space of the Abrahams Family Chapel for prayers, meditations and the warm embrace of friends to renew our sense of hope, strength and healing. •The Healing Service is for those who are struggling with their health. •The Healing Service is for those struggling with sadness and grief. •The Healing Service is for care givers who seek inspiration as they pray for the welfare oof loved ones. All are welcome. If you are unable to attend the service, just send us the name(s) of the loved ones you would like mentioned during our prayers. Be sure to let them know that they are in all of our thoughts and prayers. !2 Ritual Pink Shabbat! Friday, November 4 at 7:00 p.m. First day of SUKKOT Temple Sinai will once again proudly hold a special Pink Sunday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. Shabbat service. This moving and important Shabbat is Monday, October 17 at 10:00 a.m. an initiative of Sharsheret, a national not-for-profit organization supporting Jewish women and their The Festival of Sukkot, our eight-day Biblical families facing breast and ovarian cancer, and thanksgiving holiday, begins on Sunday evening, JEWISHcolorado. The purpose is to raise awareness and October 16 with a family-friendly service at 6:00 p.m. provide resources to community members facing these On Monday morning, October 17, the service begins at cancers. 10:00 a.m. This year some Temple Sinai members will share their Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah heroic message. We will recognize all those who have battled and are battling these cancers along with their Sunday, October 23 loved ones. It is a moving service for all. Service 6:00 p.m., Torah celebration at 7:00 p.m. Note that many other congregations will be observing Monday, October 24 Pink Shabbat on November 11. Temple Sinai’s service is Yizkor & Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah Service on November 4 in order to accommodate our Veterans at 10:00 a.m. Day program on November 11. On Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah we celebrate the conclusion of Sukkot and yearly cycle of Torah readings. It is a chance to dance with the Torah scrolls, sing uplifing songs, and rejoice in the heritage of learning We Honor You and teaching that is the hallmark of our faith. The celebration of Shemini Atzeret-Simchat Torah begins Veterans Day Shabbat Service with a Festival service and traditional Torah reading from the concluding passage of Deuteronomy and the Honoring our Veterans, Police Officers, opening chapter of Genesis. Fire Fighters and First Responders! Afer the service, we will have our annual exuberant Friday, November 11 at 7:00 p.m. celebration with songs and dancing. We’ll also unroll a Veterans Day is November 11 and once again, Temple Torah scroll so that it extends from one end of the Sinai will honor our many members who have served Zwerin Sanctuary to the other in order that we all will be this country, defending our nation, defending our enveloped in the wisdom of Torah.