Rabbi's Articles and Sermons

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RECENT RELIGIOUS LEADERS

In March 2008 Rabbi Arinna Moon Shelby was hired to be the rabbi at Mt. Sinai Congregation after an almost twenty year hiatus in that position. She was not only the first woman rabbi at the synagogue, but the first woman rabbi to hold a pulpit in the state of Wyoming.

Rabbi Shelby spearheaded an increase in programming at Mt. Sinai – monthly Shabbat dinners, movie nights, lectures, and the 2010 Tu B’Shevat Seder, to name a few.  She organized and taught many classes, including Introduction to Judaism, Beginning Biblical Hebrew, Continuing Biblical Hebrew, and Torah Study with the Rabbi.  She worked closely with various committees and the Sisterhood and was involved in the larger community as well.  She met with her peers from the faith community in Cheyenne and greatly increased Mt. Sinai’s presence in that community.  She facilitated Mt. Sinai becoming a support community with the CIHN (Cheyenne Interfaith Hospitality Network). 

In addition to her scholarship and outreach endeavors, Rabbi Shelby also gifted us with her beautiful singing voice.  She taught us new songs, and new ways of singing the songs we already knew.  Her sermons were always thoughtful and interesting, as were the lively discussions she led at Shabbat services.
In August 2009 Mt. Sinai hosted the first rabbinic bet din ever held in Wyoming. Organized by Rabbi Shelby, the bet din also included Rabbi Sara Gilbert from Greeley and Rabbi Ted Stainman from Ft. Collins.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Rabbi Shelby divided her time between Cheyenne and Los Angeles, where she works as a hospice chaplain providing spiritual care for patients and their families at the end of life. She is a member of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California and a member of the Sandra Caplan Community Bet Din of Southern California.

Rabbi Shelby received her Master’s degree in Psychology from Antioch University Seattle in 1986 and her Rabbinic ordination from The Academy for Jewish Religion California in 2008.

Uri Neil served as Mt. Sinai’s Cantor for 19 years, driving up from Denver two weekends a month, with extra trips for holidays and life cycle events.  No one who has met Uri can ever forget his warmth and enthusiasm.  Services were always a joy when Uri was leading, and his singing was unforgettable.  Many from the Cheyenne community learned Hebrew from Uri, studied for their bar and bat mitzvah with him, and were wisely counseled by him.  He nurtured others along the path to conversion.  He also led study groups on Saturday afternoons – everyone was welcome to attend, and the discussions were often wide ranging and always interesting. 

Uri also served as an Adjunct Professor of Hebrew at the University of Denver Center for Judaic Studies since 1979. His years of service and commitment to his students were honored in 2004 when Uri was awarded Adjunct Professor of the Year at the University of Denver.