Congregation Sinai
"If you are thinking a year ahead, sow a seed.
If you are thinking ten years ahead, plant a tree.
If you are thinking one hundred years ahead, educate the people.”
Throughout its 60-year history Congregation Sinai has been known as a warm and welcoming community whose members have actively participated in all aspects of synagogue life. Some have connected with our dynamic lay-led prayer community or have given their hearts to social action and Tikkun Olam. Some have been parents of Religious School or Sinai Nursery School students. Some are High Holiday attendees or have helped make a minyan for Shiva or helped build the sukkah. Some have participated actively in our fundraising efforts or adult education opportunities or attended a fun family event. Some have joined Sisterhood or Men’s Club, or had teens involved with our youth groups. Some have done all of the above and more! Whatever the case, Sinai members, staff, and Rabbinic leadership have worked hard to ensure that we nourish and enrich our relationships and our Jewish identities with every encounter.
Over the last 60 years, Congregation Sinai has also served as spiritual home to many of our community’s Jewish leaders. For a synagogue of our size, our membership has included a notable percentage of high-level leaders in local and national Jewish institutions. Sinai members have helped shape the community we live in today through their involvement with Federation, AIPAC JCRC, JFS, Chai House, Hillel, APJCC, SPHDS, KJHS, YDS, USCJ and others.
This remarkable community was not built overnight. Its strength and vitality are testament to the warm hearts and dedication of its members. But it is also thanks to the thoughtful planning of our founders and leaders over the years, and to the generosity of earlier generations that we stand today as a vibrant hub of Jewish life in Silicon Valley, financially and spiritually strong.
Now it is our turn to plan for the future. It is our turn to assure that our children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy this wonderful synagogue for decades to come. It is our turn to be both thoughtful and generous and to envision the ways in which we can contribute to the long-term sustainability of our congregation.
Working in conjunction with 9 local community synagogues and Jewish agencies, the Silicon Valley Jewish Federation has recently embarked on a program to create the development of legacy giving programs. Each of these agencies provides a mechanism for families, individuals and trusts to designate a portion of your estates for the benefit of one or more local Jewish institutions. Congregation Sinai has joined this program as part of our efforts to plan effectively for the future, and we encourage you to consider participating by designating a percentage of your assets or a fixed amount as a bequest to the synagogue.
Whether you are a once-a-year synagogue attendee or are so involved that you sometimes feel as if you live at Congregation Sinai, you can help secure the financial stability of our community in the years ahead through this simple process.
Congregation Sinai is a Conservative synagogue in Silicon Valley. We are located in Willow Glen at 1532 Willowbrae Avenue, San Jose, CA.
For further information, please contact Joelle Pluemer at 408-264-8542 or legacy@sinai-sj.org.
