Today is Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer period between Pesach and Shavuot. One of the things we celebrate on this day is learning and scholarship. Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai, one of our great mystics from the Talmud was born and died on this day. He was famous for learning Torah in a cave for years on end with his son. Not that I am suggesting such extreme measures for learning but, in a valley where learning and education is not always valued, we can take a lesson from him. 

When Sarah and I were house hunting, the proximity of the school we would send our kids to was at the top of the list of criteria. We should rejoice in the passion that we, as a people, have for learning and education. Why do we learn? Partly we learn because the process of learning with other people is a fulfilling social and communal experience. In other ways we learn texts from the Jewish tradition because they bring us closer to God. Also, we engage with learning as a guide to life, to help us at those critical junctures of decision making.

Either way, we should be proud of our role in the school district, being a group of families passionate about learning and education, particularly on a day like today, Lag B’Omer.

L’shalom

Rabbi Malcolm Cohen

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/rabbi-simeon-bar-yochai-and-clark-county-schoToday is Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer period between Pesach and Shavuot. One of the things we celebrate on this day is learning and scholarship. Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai, one of our great mystics from the Talmud was born and died on this day. He was famous for learning Torah in a cave for yea …

Dear Friends

I am sure you did not think we were the only Temple Sinai. Well now you know we are not. Former congregants, Lew and Lana Gitlin made Aliyah (emigrated to Israel) this year. Having spent time at a Temple Sinai in Florida in addition to our Temple Sinai, they decided to set up a name sake in the town of Nahariya.

Temple Sinai is a new Reform Synagogue in this Northern Israeli town and we hope to support them in their efforts in the coming years to ensure a really strong connection with them and Israel. They and their Rabbi launched the congregation on April 13 and the video below is a taste of the occasion. 

Kol hakavod! Congratulations!

Rabbi Malcolm Cohen

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/temple-sinai-in-israelDear Friends I am sure you did not think we were the only Temple Sinai. Well now you know we are not. Former congregants, Lew and Lana Gitlin made Aliyah (emigrated to Israel) this year. Having spent time at a Temple Sinai in Florida in addition to our Temple Sinai, they decided to set up a name sak …

This Friday sees our next Early Shabbat at 6.30pm. The idea is to see the Temple in a holistic sense. Instead of older members coming to Friday services and younger people attending Religious School on Sundays, everyone comes together on the 3rd Friday, all generations under the same roof. 

The whole point of a congregation is for babies, teenagers, retired people, baby boomers and working men and women to come together in prayer and community. 

So come along, wear white if you can (it’s a symbol of spirituality) and enjoy each other’s company. In the words of the prayer book/siddur:

“L’dor vador nagid godlecha – from generation to generation, let us tell of your greatness”.

L’shalom/To Peace

Rabbi Malcolm Cohen

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/all-generations-together-this-friday-april-20This Friday sees our next Early Shabbat at 6.30pm. The idea is to see the Temple in a holistic sense. Instead of older members coming to Friday services and younger people attending Religious School on Sundays, everyone comes together on the 3rd Friday, all generations under the same roof.  The whol …

Many times recently I have asked congregants, “What do you think is the most pressing problem in the valley?” There have been a variety of answers but the main two have been the economy/foreclosure crisis and the state of public education. 

I am part of an interfaith group which tries to address the root causes of these and others of our valley’s problem. It is the regional arm of the Industrial Areas Foundation (more information at www.industrialareasfoundation.org) and I hope we, as a congregation, can lend our support to this group and be involved. 

After all, one of the principles of the Reform Movement in this country and around the world is that of tikun olam, repair of the world. I call on you, as members of Temple Sinai, to join with me and representatives from many different churches and mosques, on the evening of May 22, for the Las Vegas Valley Community Convention for the Common Good. The invite is below with some more details but I am extremely excited about this event. There will be around 1000 people there showing they want to make change happen in the valley. 

This is a great opportunity, let us take it with both hands.

Best wishes

Rabbi Malcolm Cohen

We, the leaders of the Las Vegas Valley Interfaith Sponsoring Committee have committed to move forward with the first Las Vegas Valley Community Convention for the Common Good.  At that time we will launch a broad-based, organization of organizations that will bring voice and hope to families, congregations, businesses and other community based institutions that share our concerns for the well being of families in the region.  The event will be held on May 22, 2012, 6:30 – 8:30 pm in the Student Union Ballroom of UNLV. 

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/join-the-rabbi-and-1000-others-on-may-22-forMany times recently I have asked congregants, “What do you think is the most pressing problem in the valley?” There have been a variety of answers but the main two have been the economy/foreclosure crisis and the state of public education.  I am part of an interfaith group which tries to address the …

Hey there.  This is Shanna from Temple Sinai.  My sister is wheelchair bound and the mobility company is doing a contest where they are giving away a van to the person with the most votes. This will make it easier for my parents to travel with her to doctors and just to get her out of the house.  Votes can be made daily, multiple times if you have multiple computer accusess (it goes by the computer).  The voting runs now through May 13th.  Can you please help my family by voting and getting the word passed around to others?  Thank you.

The site is

www.nmeda.com/mobility-awareness-month/heros/nevada/las-vegas

You go to the search line, type in baum and nevada and then a picture of my sister will pop up.  It has my mom’s name Marcia under the pic. 

Click on the picture and then fill out a small form and send.  We appreciate the help.

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/tikkun-olam-help-the-baum-family  Hey there.  This is Shanna from Temple Sinai.  My sister is wheelchair bound and the mobility company is doing a contest where they are giving away a van to the person with the most votes. This will make it easier for my parents to travel with her to doctors and just to get her out of the house.  …

The world around us can sometimes be a difficult place. Either here at home in Las Vegas with high levels of unemployment or further afield with poverty, war and disease.

The thing is, there is a different way of living and the Passover/Pesach story embodies it. The story of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is a taste of the ideal state of affairs, where people rise up against injustice and attain freedom.

Reality might not be like that but the Passover story tells us it is possible. There is a better way, a clearer path, a chance for freedom if we are ready to fight for it. The Seder and this holiday is a protest against despair. They are a symbol of hope. May we feel that hope coursing through our veins this week and banish despair forever.

Chag Pesach Sameach, have a happy holiday of Passover.

Rabbi Malcolm Cohen

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/the-seder-is-a-protest-against-despairThe world around us can sometimes be a difficult place. Either here at home in Las Vegas with high levels of unemployment or further afield with poverty, war and disease. The thing is, there is a different way of living and the Passover/Pesach story embodies it. The story of the Exodus of the Israel …

http://reformjudaismmag.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=2973

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/cooking-the-iconic-jewish-fish-dish-by-tina-dhttp://reformjudaismmag.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=2973 …

Dear Friends

Many of you will have been watching with concern the news about Iran’s attempts to gain nuclear weapons. Below, I have placed the statement by ARZA, the Zionist arm of our movement, so you can see what our movement’s thinking is in this area. I will be preaching about this topic in the coming weeks. We all should inform ourselves because this issue seems pivotal in the life of our people right now. Our movement has been speaking about this topic for a few years now as you can see in this link: http://ccarnet.org/rabbis-speak/resolutions/2006/threat-from-iran-the/.

I hope wisdom and peace will prevail.

Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Malcolm Cohen 

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/where-the-reform-movement-stands-on-iranDear Friends Many of you will have been watching with concern the news about Iran’s attempts to gain nuclear weapons. Below, I have placed the statement by ARZA, the Zionist arm of our movement, so you can see what our movement’s thinking is in this area. I will be preaching about this topic in the …

LYRICS:

I feel like a freak,
Cuz everytime I pull out something to eat,
For this week,
I can’t do this,
Cuz I’m Jewish and,
I can’t eat bread,
Yeah, my rabbi said..

Matzah!
Any way you wann eat it cold or hot it’s…
Matzah!
Fun for your mother, brother, sister, father…
Matzah!
Buy in bulk for a lower cost per box it’s…
Matzah! Matzah! Matzah! Matzah!

Hanukkah? No thats over.
So you dont get passed over,
Getcha ass over to my pad it’s passover.
I’m the mad flow-er Smooth E teamin with the Jib and Jabbin
If you want the story of passover rent the ten commandments
Starring Charleton Heston,
But I got a question,
About the bread that is unlevened causing indigestion called…
Matzah!
Eat it for a week we gotsta,
No bread, no pasta, best believe a Jew is stopped up!

Now Moses made the matzah, when he was fleeing Egypt,
Had no time for bread to rise, he said, “Ah, just leave it.”
We can eat it like this, feed it to the hebrews,
But little did he know that the wait would end up equal, cuz,
“Let my people go”, became the anthem
Getcha damn hands up, maybe it will help you pass some!
How could one bread, rocket so famous
When the taste is the same flavor of the box it came in?

Matzah!
Eat it at once, ain’t no second guessing…
Matzah!
Leaving crumbs on my lap and chest and it’s called…
Matzah!
“I found the afi komen!”.. in my small intestine!
Matzah! Matzah! Matzah! Matzah!

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/116637016LYRICS: I feel like a freak, Cuz everytime I pull out something to eat, For this week, I can’t do this, Cuz I’m Jewish and, I can’t eat bread, Yeah, my rabbi said.. Matzah! Any way you wann eat it cold or hot it’s… Matzah! Fun for your mother, brother, sister, father… Matzah! Buy in bulk for a l …

This is Amazing!!!

http://templesinailv.posterous.com/attraction-black-light-theatre-silhouettes-paThis is Amazing!!! …