Temple Sinai (Portsmouth, Virginia)

Temple Sinai was an egalitarian, Reform synagogue established in Portsmouth, Virginia,[1] in December 1953.[2] The congregation, which was located at 4401 Hatton Point Road, was called A Family of Traditional and Non-Traditional Families and was a member of the Union for Reform Judaism. The congregation was headed by Rabbi Arthur Z. Steinberg, of blessed memory. Temple Sinai celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004. Temple Sinai merged with Norfolk's Ohef Sholom Temple in June 2012.[3]

Temple Sinai
Religion
AffiliationReform Judaism
LeadershipRabbi Arthur Z. Steinberg, of blessed memory,
StatusMerged with another congregation in 2012
Location
Location4401 Hatton Point Road,
Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
Architecture
Groundbreaking1956 (cornerstone)
Completed1957

History

Temple Sinai was founded on December 2, 1953, during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Its seven sponsoring members[3] agreed on the congregation's name within a few days and held their first religious service at the Portsmouth Women's Club on January 8, 1954.[4] Until the construction of its building, services were also held at the Portsmouth Coca-Cola Bottling Works and the Suburban Country Club. The cornerstone for the building on its 2 acres (0.81 ha) site on Hatton Point Road was laid in 1956. Temple Sinai marked its fiftieth anniversary in June 2004.[3]

Portsmouth United Religious School

Temple Sinai and Gomley Chesed, a nearby synagogue also located in Portsmouth, have formed a combined religious school program, Portsmouth United Religious School. The Portsmouth United Religious School, also known as "Portsmouth Religious School" and by the acronym "PURS", is an award-winning family education program and outreach for the total Jewish community.[4]

Activities

Temple Sinai emphasized religious education and service to the community through social action.[1]

Temple Sinai helped provide food for the hungry and shelter for the homeless. As the only Jewish congregation among fifty congregations of the Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless, Temple Sinai distinguished itself by opening its doors for fifty to sixty homeless people during Christmas week, so that their Christian partners can be at home with their families during this season.[5] In this work it was also affiliated with MAZON's "3% Circle",[6] in which 3% of the cost of the temple's holiday dinners and lifecycle celebrations were donated to MAZON.[7][8]

Temple Sinai engaged in pulpit exchanges with Gomley Chesed[9] and with Ohef Sholom Temple of Norfolk, Virginia.[10] A pulpit exchange involves a visit of one congregation to the other congregation's facility for a special combined service.[11]

Notes
  1. Synagogues United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. Retrieved 211-06-22.
  2. "City of Portsmouth, Virginia". Portsmouthva.gov. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  3. "Temple Sinai". Union of Reform Judaism. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved June 21, 2011.
  4. Jordan, Ida Kay (June 20, 2004). "Temple Sinai Celebrating 50 Years of Worship". The Virginian-Pilot. republished by HighBeam Research. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved 2011-07-02. ...has headed the Temple Sinai school since 1987. In 1986, Temple Sinai and Gomley Chesed worked together to create the Portsmouth United Religious School... Paywall.
  5. "'Tis the Season to help the needy". Union for Reform Judaism. December 2005. Retrieved 2011-07-02. The temple volunteers every year to run the shelter during the week that includes Christmas. Its local organization, PVH (Portsmouth Volunteers for the Homeless) consists of approximately fifty churches, with Temple Sinai being the only Jewish representative.
  6. "The MAZON 3% Circle". MAZON. 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  7. "Links". Union of Reform Judaism. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  8. "Mazon Annual Report, 2005" (PDF). Mazon. p. 12. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  9. Nichols, Pamela (May 31, 2011). "Feeding ministry overcomes kitchen malfunction". HamptonRoads.com. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  10. "Cantor's Notes". 48 (3). Ohef Sholom Temple. November 2008: 2. Retrieved 27 June 2011. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. "Ohef Sholom Temple". Retrieved June 21, 2011.

Bibliography


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