Shema Statement

In late November 2016, as Temple Sinai was celebrating its 70th anniversary, a group of the congregation’s leaders spent an afternoon with Rabbi Larry Hoffman in a leadership visioning session. Rabbi Hoffman, a faculty member of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York, has helped congregations articulate their mission and vision in a fresh, authentic, and relevant way, by creating what he calls a Shema Statement. 

That session was the genesis (pun intended) of the work done by a group of thoughtful individuals — with the review and approval of the Board and Clergy — to revise Temple Sinai’s Mission and Vision statement. The terms “Mission” and “Vision” are probably familiar, but what’s a “Shema Statement?” Rabbi Hoffman describes it as “Who we are” or, better, “Who we want to be.”  It’s accompanied by a V’ahavta elaboration: “How we show it, or, better, “How we would show it.” 

Thinking about our mission this way helped the group to explain what makes Temple Sinai unique, and what is important to us as a community. The result is a compelling, aspirational statement that truly captures the spirit of the congregation we’re so proud of!

We are Temple Sinai: 
Inspired. Innovative. Inclusive.

We are Inspired

• We strive for meaningful relationships with God, our traditions, and each other.
• We serve as God’s hands. We are committed to bringing justice and compassion to our world.

We are Innovative

• We dare to embrace change to create a vibrant Jewish future for our children and ourselves.
• We explore new ways to engage with Jewish values, practice and learning.

We are Inclusive

• We are a shelter of peace for all families and individuals who seek a Reform Jewish community.
• We are diverse, welcoming all, regardless of means, to participate actively in our congregation.