Weekly Message from the Board President

It was a great party… as usual!  We lined up dozens of menorahs along one wall of the social hall… and then lit them all at the same time.  There was a bright glow filling the social hall (and we saved on our heating bill).  Then there were mountains of latkes to devour and Noam’s sweet Sufganiyot.  The kids (and adults) got down to business with games of dreidel, and chocolate coins were sliding back and forth across the tables.  But there seemed to be plenty for people to eat and enjoy at the end of the party.

Here are some photos.

We have sad news to report.  Joe Golden, a beloved member of our community for many years, has passed away. Joe led our Women’s Thank You Dinner many years ago.  He came up with the recipe and supervised the cooking and all of the details of the event.  The idea was to thank the women in the congregation for their work at Synagogue events.  Women were given a rose when they arrived.  Tablecloths covered the tables.  The men all dressed in white shirts and dark pants and acted as waiters and servers.  It was a hugely successful and fun event.  A couple of years ago, Joe suggested we do it again, and we did.

Joe was also the main greeter during the Yiddish Food Festival.  The only problem was that there was a bottleneck at the Synagogue front door because of all of the people who wanted to stop and chat with Joe.  He was very well-liked in the Cheyenne community.

Joe’s funeral will be next Sunday, December 28 at 11 AM at the Synagogue, followed by a lunch. The family will hold a private event at the Jewish Cemetery on Monday.

Our condolences go to Joe’s family and friends.

The See’s Candy Sale is over… kind of.  Here’s a note from Phyllis Bloomberg about it:

“Our annual candy sale is officially over.   We have some candy still in stock.  See’s candy makes a wonderful last minute Christmas, New Year’s, or any other occasion gift.  For a limited time we will continue the sale.  A mutually convenient pick up time  will be arranged upon receipt of your order. Please pay when you come to the Synagogue to pick up your candy. We accept cash, credit and debit cards, and checks”

We think it was Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman who first suggested we all go out for Chinese food on Christmas Eve.  It was a great idea, and we’ve followed it ever since.  We have reservations at China Buffet this Wednesday at 6:30 PM.  Come eat and enjoy.  This is our biggest Shalom Dinner of the Year.  One year we had 40 people show up… which isn’t bad for a congregation with 50 members.

The end of 2025 doesn’t mean the end of fun things at Mt. Sinai.  We have a scholar in residence weekend planned for January 23-24.  Rabbinical student Saul Kaye will be leading services…. But he will also be singing a concert for us.  And that’s the weekend of the Kugel Cookoff, so we’ll have services, the Kugel Cookoff, and a concert all the same weekend.  Friday and Saturday services will be at our regular times of 7 PM Friday night and 10 AM Saturday morning.  There will be a Havdalah service to close our Shabbat Saturday evening.  Then bring out the kugels!

Last year, you may remember, we had a concert at the same time as the Kugel Cookoff.  We’re doing it again.  The concert will run Saturday evening.

You can see Rabbinical student Kaye’s performances here:  https://www.saulkaye.com/watch

Here’s our Yiddish Phrase of the Week:

Ganovim un farlibte hobn lib fintsternish.
Thieves and lovers like the dark.     

Shalom,

Dave Lerner
President
Mt. Sinai Board of Directors

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December Birthdays

9              Rabbi Harley Karz-Wagman

9              Raizy Mendelsohn

11           Erin Vavra

19           Andi Coelho

20           Rabbi Moshe Halfon

20           Stephanie Sterling

21           Steve Borin

23           Jacque Georgio

28           Heather McLoud

28           Joe Golden