Weekly Message from the Board President

It’s all in the family!  Mt. Sinai is holding a special family event this Sunday, April 2, starting at 2 PM.  We’ll be teaching you how to make matzah (and everyone, especially the kids will make their own matzah).  While the matzah is baking, we’ll also be making Afikomen holders.  Then we’ll all get together and watch Prince of Egypt, the animated musical that tells the story of Moses.  It’s an event for the whole family, but the kids will really enjoy it.

It’s a preview of our big event, the annual Passover Seder.  That takes place on the first night of Passover, which is Wednesday, April 5.  The doors open at 5:30 PM and the Seder starts at 6.

To quote Jeff Weinstein, “there is nothing like the first taste of matzah at Passover…. Or the last.”  To celebrate that last taste of matzah, we’re going to hold a Chametz party after the holiday. 

When Passover is over, it’s time to bring back bread, rolls, muffins, doughnuts, and most importantly, pizza, into our lives.  We’re going to have a pizza party before Shabbat services on Friday, April 14.  It will start at 6, with hot pizzas at the Synagogue.  Then we’ll move into the sanctuary for our regular Shabbat services.  The pizzas will be vegetarian (sorry, meat on pizza isn’t kosher).  If you would like to bring a salad or dessert, we’re sure there will be plenty of takers!

The women of our Congregation have been hard at work, preparing a special Shabbat service.  It will take place this Friday, March 31.  The women will share different readings and prayers and lead the service.  Men are welcome too, of course. This will be an exciting and new twist on our services, and we’re looking forward to it a lot.  The service will be in person and on zoom.

We’ve added a new page to our website.  It’s about the Endowment Fund.  There’s a graphic of a new brochure we created explaining the fund, what it is, how it works, and what the money is used for.

The main fundraising effort of the Endowment Fund has been offering sponsorships of chairs and bookholders in the large sanctuary.  You can sponsor a chair for someone you would like to honor, including yourself.  (They are $500 each) A lot of people have taken advantage of the opportunity.  We’ve posted photos of all of the chair plaques on the new page.  You can see it here:  https://www.mtsinaicheyenne.org/endowment.

The Membership Committee has been updating how we approach membership and fundraising.  The committee decided to change the process from asking for dues to asking for pledges, and has drafted a letter to go out to the community. 

Here’s a preview.

Dear Mt. Sinai member,

The Board of Directors and President of Mt. Sinai wish you much good health and joy in 2023.

Because we are a small Congregation, we often feel more like an extended family.  A family that participates in lively discussions with many opinions.  A family that shares its love and caring and respect for each other.

But we are more than an extended family.

We are the only Jewish community in Cheyenne.  This is where we come together to celebrate, share our faith, and practice our religion.  This is where we come to teach, learn, and grow as Jews, and to better ourselves as people.  This is where we come in times of need and in times of joy.  This is where the larger community comes to show solidarity with us here and with Jews everywhere.

Mt. Sinai participates in social justice issues in Cheyenne and beyond.  We are involved in several multi-faith organizations.  We represent Judaism to those of other religions and offer numerous educational programs.  These activities build greater understanding and enrich all of us.

To maintain our vibrant community, we NEED your participation.  We NEED your time as a volunteer.  And yes, we also NEED your money.  We suggest an annual pledge of $1,000, of which $400 is designated to pay our Rabbi. If you can pledge more, we are very appreciative.  If that amount is too much, we are very grateful for whatever amount you can pledge.

Here in the Diaspora, on the Western frontier in Wyoming, we need every Jew, every opinion, every idea, every penny….and you.

Please complete and return the enclosed pledge form.  Pledges and donations are tax deductible.

On behalf of the Jewish community of Cheyenne, thank you!

Here’s our Yiddish Phrase of the Week:

Ven er iz tsvey mol azoy klug, volt er geven a goylem!
If he were twice as smart, he’d be an idiot!

Shalom,

Dave Lerner
President
Mt. Sinai Board of Directors

Community Partner with Family Promise of Cheyenne

Family Promise Brochure

March Birthdays

2              Sharon Pucillo   

3              Marshall Brown

5              Denise Bendori

7              Stanley Sandick

9              David Silver

               Daniel Hillshafer              

21           Sihaya Reid

26           Esme Reid

28           Jason Bloomberg

28           Rich Menkin

28           Morris Gardner

31           Dr Charles Kuckel