March 2021 TEMPLE SINAI Adar/Nisan 5781 BULLETIN 1 Worship Services - March 2021 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ALL WORSHIP SERVICES WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE through Zoom, Facebook Live, and livestreamed on our Temple Sinai website. Please check the weekly e-mail message and Temple website for up-to-date information about in-person services. When services are available in-person in the sanctuary, we will practice social distancing. As of this writing, there will be an in-person option for all Friday evening services. However, all Saturday morning services will be available online only this month. Reservations are required, and masks must be worn at all times within the Temple building. FRIDAY, March 5 5:00 p.m. Temple Toddler Shabbat Shalom sing-a-long 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service with our Monthly Anniversary & Birthday Blessings. SATURDAY, March 6 Temple Sinai Board Torah Portion: Ki Tisa: Exodus 30:11 - 34:35 OFFICERS 9:15 a.m. Online Torah Study Tracey Dodd 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service (Online Only) President Ellen Cohen FRIDAY, March 12 Executive Vice President 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service with Congregation Joshua Danzig Gemiluth Chassodim in Alexandria, LA: We will host First Vice President this special combined service, led by the clergy of both Matthew Glodowski Temples. Second Vice President SATURDAY, March 13 Jonathan Levy Torah Portion: Vayakhel - Pekudei: Exodus 35:1 - 38:20 Treasurer 9:15 a.m. Online Torah Study Ariane Rung, Ph.D 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service (Online Only) Secretary FRIDAY, March 19 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 6:00 p.m. Shabbat Evening Service Carlos Adame Marc Behar, D.C. SATURDAY, March 20 Tamie Bressler Torah Portion: Vayikra: Leviticus 1:1 - 5:26 Philip Brickman 9:15 a.m. Online Torah Study Elizabeth Brodt 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service (Online Only) Alexander “Sandy” Cohen Maddie Fireman FRIDAY, March 26 – SHABBAT HAGADOL Holly Friedman 6:00 p.m. Evening Service for the Sabbath before Catherine Frank Passover Amy Gainsburgh-Haspel SATURDAY, March 27 Vern Gransden Evan Jacobs Torah Portion: Tzav: Leviticus 6:1 - 8:36 Keith Katz 9:15 a.m. Online Torah Study Keith Liederman, Ph.D 10:30 a.m. Shabbat Morning Service (Online Only) Billy Kullman FRIDAY, April 2 – Last Night of Passover Jeffrey Mendler David Tucker 6:00 p.m. Special Shabbat & Festival Service Mark Wallfisch SATURDAY, April 3 – Last Day of Passover 9:15 a.m. Online Torah Study 10:30 a.m. Special Shabbat & Festival Morning Service with Yizkor for the End of Passover 2 RABBI’S MESSAGE MAH NISHTANAH: HOW IS THIS PASSOVER DIFFERENT? Rabbi Daniel M. Sherman As I sat down to write this column, I went back We have become experts (or at least more proficient) to what I wrote for the March 2020 Temple Bulletin at Zoom and on-line gatherings, services, (written in February). I reflected on Installation celebrations and meetings. Last year we learned Shabbat from January (that seems now like a very how to celebrate Passover with family and friends in long time ago). I wrote about all that I was looking far-away places whom we would not have been able forward to that month, including our to see in-person. Annual Gala celebrating Temple Sinai’s 150th Here’s what else is different. More and more birthday, Purim celebrations, and the upcoming members of our congregation and families are Limmud New Orleans. We also included getting vaccinated. We know what to do to stop the information about our annual Congregational spread. We know we can and will beat this virus. The Seder and lots of events and observances for losses have been devastating and astounding. But Passover. we can begin to picture an end to this pandemic and Thanks to some lucky timing, we were able a return to a new normal. We have come so far – to hold our Gala and celebrate Purim altogether now we are beginning to see a light at the end of the in-person last March. But that’s when things abruptly tunnel. changed. Limmud was cancelled. Plans for services This leads me to how Passover will be the and Passover were thrown up into the air. same this year. Another name for the holiday is Then I re-read my April 2020 bulletin “CHAG HA-AVIV: the Festival of Spring.” Passover submission. I wrote how everything had changed, celebrates rebirth, renewal, and hope – this is why and that it was hard to predict what would happen we eat the green KARPAS and the hard-boiled egg. next. I tried to point out “the bad news and the good We are reminded that life goes on and the buds will news.” bloom once again. We also call Passover “ZEMAN Now I am writing in February 2021 and, as CHEIRUTEINU: the Season of our Freedom.” No we are preparing for Passover 5781, I admit I really longer slaves, we were born again as free people. didn’t think we would be in such a similar position When we eat the CHAROSET, we taste the sweet taste this year. But the year has been full of surprises, of freedom. Free of the bondage of slavery, we began disappointments, and so much loss. our journey to the Promised Land. Now we begin When I think about Passover, I immediately our journey from pandemic and quarantine to think about the Seder. A part of the Hagaddah that vaccination and venturing out once again (though always stands out for me is the recitation of the let’s please keep our masks on). Four Questions, which begins with these words: This Passover we have much to look forward “MAH NISHTANAH HALAILA HAZEH MIKOL to. You will be receiving information about our HALEILOT – How is this night different from all Passover Package Pick-Up, where we are inviting other nights?” As we turn our attention to Passover Temple families to drop by and pick up a box of this year, I want to ask a different MAH NISHTANAH matzah, wine or grape juice, and something sweet – How is Passover different this year and how is it with which to celebrate Passover this year. We hope the same? you will join us for our live, on-line Congregational Passover will once again feel very different Passover Celebration on the second night of than what we are used to. We will have to limit our Passover (Sunday, Mar. 28). It won’t be a seder, but home and family seder observances. For a second year we will include readings and songs from the hagaddah in a row, there will be no in-person Congregational and discuss the story and themes of the holiday. Seder at Temple on the second night. We will be There will be many opportunities for us to come unable to host an in-person LGBTQ Interfaith Seder together virtually and to celebrate this important – a very important event for us. We will miss being festival together. Please read through all of the together. Passover information in this bulletin and on the But here’s how Passover 5781 will be different website. from Passover 5780. We have been through this And we will conclude by saying “L’SHANAH before, along with countless changes we have been HABA’AH – Next year may we truly celebrate together forced to make over the past year. What’s different in freedom and in-person!” I want to wish everyone this Passover is that we know WE CAN DO THIS. a very happy Passover 5781! 3 President’sPR MessageESIDENT’S MESSAGEDirector’s Message March 2021 Tracey Dodd In writing this just following COVID-Mardi a new fruit-bearing cycle. We have begun new Gras that almost was not, there is a sense of pride programming for members of our congregation in our community for all the beautiful reminders with a number of different topics and hope to of how so many people participated in Yardi Gras increase the variety and quality of programming and the Krewe of House Floats. Our great City has we deliver. A wedding is occurring in our always been one replete with inspiration and Sanctuary this month, and the decision to open creativity,and in this season, people that believed Jacobs Camp for our children and grandchildren the cancelling of Mardi Gras was out of their this summer has been made. Let us not also forget control, took into their own hands the ability to about the Soirée in Slippers that our gala team celebrate in various ways to show the community has worked so incredibly hard to organize for us, and the world that there is still much in life to be to whom we owe great thanks. We look forward celebrated. Kudos to our own congregants who to seeing you all at the virtual event. created a microcosm of delight and happiness for What is also occurring is a deeper so many to be able to celebrate what was almost evaluation of how our synagogue works, from not “celebrate-able.” relationships and all the way to the tools we use to At Sinai, with almost daily news of our support our congregation. Temple Sinai’s mission congregants being vaccinated, there is a plan that is to “…promote and reinforce the ideals of Reform we can conceive for what post-pandemic life looks Judaism and Jewish values through its dedication like for our congregation. To quote Dr. Ron Wolfson, to worship, education, social action, outreach, “If there is one thing we have learned during this and K’lal Yisrael. We endeavor to build a sense of time of isolation, it is that relationships are at the community within our Congregation by striving heart of congregational life.” We all know how to meet the spiritual, intellectual, and cultural much we miss being together and how very much needs of each of our members, while strengthening we long for a time when we can come together the bond of loyalty with Jewish people safely.