Statement of Principles
Recommended and adopted by the Temple Sinai Board of Trustees, Ben Wolkowitz, President, 2005.

We are a welcoming Jewish community for people of all ages and in varied family structures.
Temple Sinai welcomes members who are Jewish by birth, have converted to Judaism, or are married to Jews, as well as those who wish to learn more about the Jewish faith. We understand that our members have diverse religious backgrounds and needs, and recognize this diversity by offering a variety of religious services and Temple-sponsored activities.

We affirm that Torah is the foundation of Jewish life.
We believe that, within the context of Reform Judaism, Torah provides teachings that guide our actions. We believe in revelation as a continuous process and that each one of us is an important link in Shalshelet Hakabalah (the chain of our tradition). We are committed to the ongoing study of the entire array of Mitzvot and to the fulfillment of those that address us as individuals in the community. We believe in studying Torah for the purpose of encouraging a Jewish way of life, for prayer, for ritual observance, and for the work of Tikkun Olam -- repairing the world.

We recognize the importance of communal prayer in creating and maintaining a vital Jewish community.
Temple Sinai strives to be a community where Jews, and others, of all levels of commitment and observance, can find spiritual meaning and a path to God within the framework of communal worship opportunities.

We are committed to lifelong Jewish learning and actively promote it for all our members.
We seek to create as many opportunities for learning as possible for our entire congregation. Learning for us is a lifelong activity that enhances our understanding of Judaism and contributes to our leading a fulfilling Jewish oriented life.

We are a Temple community committed to our Youth.
Temple Sinai strives to engage our children in Jewish education from the elementary school years through high school. Our goal is to encourage our youth in their development of a strong, passionate Jewish identity through the three pillars upon which Judaism thrives, lifelong learning, worship and acts of loving kindness.

Temple Sinai is committed to Tikkun Olam -- repair of the world.
We believe that charitable behavior is an integral part of a Jewish identity. We participate in many local, domestic and international organizations dedicated to social justice and charitable giving through both direct participation and monetary donations. We encourage this principle with our children through our school and with adults throughout the entire range of Temple activities.

We are linked by our covenant and unique history to Jews in every age and every place, in Israel and elsewhere.
We feel a bond with all other Jews that is both religious and historical in nature. We are concerned for and identify with all Jews, crossing geographic, temporal and ideological boundaries. Israel is particularly important. We are mindful of the special nature of the Jewish state; however our bond extends to Jews anywhere in the world. Therefore we aim to consider the context of our actions within the larger international Jewish community.

We are committed to the ongoing viability and stability of the State of Israel, and to the security and safety of its citizens, residents and visitors.
We seek to influence the National and International communities to support Israel by seeking out political and social opportunities. We assist in raising funds for the various organizations that support Israel either financially and/or with volunteers. We promote travel to Israel to demonstrate our support and we encourage commercial relationships with Israeli companies when possible.

We are part of a broader community of both Jews and non-Jews, and we embrace cultural and religious pluralism as an expression of the vitality of our Temple community.
Our Temple family supports the rights of all people to practice all religions and customs as we enjoy those same rights ourselves. We are proud to participate and lead community events that teach others about cultural and religious diversity.

We are committed to providing a warm and welcoming, functional physical environment for worship, study, socializing and for the support of the principles of Temple Sinai.
We believe that our Temple building needs to be a harmonious part of our overall Temple environment. The attributes of our congregation and our commitment to Judaism are not dependent on our physical environment, but our physical environment does contribute to the congregation fully realizing its potential as a community and as individuals in the community.

This "Statement of Principles" has been recommended and adopted by the Temple Sinai Board of Trustees, Ben Wolkowitz, President, 2005.