By Sinai Temple on
August 10, 2022
הִנֵּה מַה טוֹב וּמַה נָּעִים שֶׁבֶת אָחִים גַּם יַחַד Hineh ma tov umah na’im shevet achim gad yachad How good and pleasing it is to sit together in community Support Us Today Annual Appeal Giving Since October 7th, it is clear how much the world has changed. Antisemitism is at an all-time high. Israel faces an existential threat. We are not the same Jewish community that we were a year ago. Yet, even in these frightening and uncertain times we remain steadfast, united, and committed to our vision of strengthening Sinai Temple and fortifying a vibrant Jewish future. We have…
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By Sinai Temple on
August 8, 2022
CHOOSE A FUND CATEGORY BELOW FOR A LIST OF FUNDS: Programming & Operations Clergy Sinai Akiba Academy Programming & Operations GENERAL FUND Sinai Temple plays a vital spiritual, educational and social role in the collective lives of our members. The General Fund enables the synagogue to provide a variety of programs to the community and ensures optimal functionality of the organization. MEMORIAL FUND Gifts to the Memorial Fund are made in memory of a loved one’s passing, usually on the occasion of a yahrzeit, and go to support the general operating budget, in addition to the maintenance of our memorial…
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By Sinai Temple on
July 18, 2022
Shanaz “Shan” Farahi and her husband Judah joined Sinai Temple in 2007. Her sons, Benjamin and Ilan, attended the Religious School and celebrated their B’nai Mitzvah at Sinai Temple. Shan was actively involved in the Religious School and since 2018 has served on the Executive Board of Sisterhood. As a graduate from the University of Southern California with a Business degree, she works in the real estate industry focusing on sales and property management. Shan presently serves as Co-President of Sisterhood with Cici Hallegua.
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By Sinai Temple on
July 7, 2022
David Kekst grew up in the New York and Connecticut suburbs of New York City, where he attended a Jewish day school through 8th grade. He moved into Manhattan for high school and went on to earn a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990 and a law degree from Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1994. After practicing white collar criminal defense and complex business litigation with a boutique Manhattan law firm, David and his wife moved to Los Angeles in 1997. They became members of Sinai Temple almost immediately thereafter and sent all three of…
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By Sinai Temple on
July 1, 2022
Rabbi Avi Taff joins the Sinai Temple community after having served the Valley Beth Shalom community for the last 13 years. Before becoming a Rabbi, Avi served as a paratrooper in the Israeli Army, worked as Youth Educator at Krieger-Schechter Day School in Baltimore, Maryland, as Director of the Special Needs Vocational Program at Camp Ramah in California, and directed a Jewish summer day camp for children with special needs. Avi has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Judaic Studies from the University of Arizona and was ordained by the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in 2011. Upon…
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By Sinai Temple on
June 28, 2022
RESOURCES 2024-25 Religious school tuition Tzedakah is an important lesson that we impart to students here at Sinai Temple Religious School. Together with the Religious School Families we are so proud of raising over $5000 in the 23-24 school year! Below are some of the wonderful charities that we contributed to. We invite you to donate as well! Jewish National Fund Sharsheret Israel Crisis Fund The Survivor Mitzvah Project Cohen Syndrome Foundation FIDF – Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Below are some suggested apps and websites to add to students’ learning experience outside of Religious School: Alef Beis Switch…
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By Sinai Temple on
March 25, 2022
RITUAL PREPARATIONS FOR PASSOVER: KASHRUT, SELLING HAMETZ, AND THE FAST OF THE FIRST BORN Ritual Preparations for Passover The regulations and traditions regarding how to prepare your home for Passover are complex. Thankfully, there is plenty of helpful information available for free online. With ever-evolving technologies and new food products, it’s important to read an up-to-date guide from a trustworthy source. We recommend this one from the Rabbinical Assembly. They have also created this document focusing on issues of particular relevance for the current year. The day before Passover is a traditional fast day for firstborn Jews, commemorating how they…
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By Sinai Temple on
January 27, 2022
Sinai Temple is dedicated to providing a welcoming and caring community for its members, devoted to Jewish learning and support for Israel and the Jewish people, and committed to improving ourselves and the world through a growing relationship with God from generation to generation. We are committed to the principles and values of Conservative Judaism and we welcome Jews of all backgrounds and affiliations to observe life cycle events, and pursue our mission through prayer, rituals, learning, music and the other gifts God has given us. Interested in joining our team? We invite you to apply for our current job…
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By Sinai Temple on
October 4, 2021
By Sinai Temple on
August 9, 2021
Brad Smiedt is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Rivonia Road Capital, a Los Angeles-based alternative investment firm focused on the financial services industry. He is also the Co-Founder and Chairman of The Fundworks, LLC a software-enabled alternative lender, also based in Los Angeles. Before co-founding The Fundworks, Brad sourced, structured and oversaw private equity investments with Lightyear Capital and Fenway Partners. Brad started his career as an investment banking analyst at Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown. Brad’s son, Jonah, is a rising 7th grader at Sinai Akiba Academy and his daughter, Arielle, is a rising 4th grader. He is currently the Vice…
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