Temple Sinai at the Forefront of Fighting Antisemitism

October 13, 2023 – Sarasota

After witnessing the most horrific terrorist attacks in Israel’s history, the fight against hate is more important than ever. In a commitment to combating the scourge of antisemitism and promoting understanding and unity, Temple Sinai has joined the esteemed organization, Kulanu: Synagogues in Action Against Antisemitism.

Organized by the ADL (Anti-Defamation League), this endeavor underscores the urgency of actively addressing the deep-seated issue of antisemitism through education, community engagement, and advocacy. By aligning with Kulanu, Temple Sinai will embark on an eight-month journey beginning this month that empowers congregations to stand up against hate, foster dialogue, and build bridges of understanding within their communities.

Kulanu is Hebrew for “all of us.” Participants join a network of congregations to build bridges of understanding across communities. ADL will prepare Temple Sinai with resources to develop and implement engaging and impactful programming through the exclusive Kulanu initiative inspiration library, interactive webinars with ADL experts, and guidance from professionals. This is ADL’s second year of the program.

As a Kulanu synagogue, Temple Sinai will learn how to have critical conversations about antisemitism and other forms of bigotry and cultivate the tools to fight such hate. This includes establishing a dedicated programming oversight group, encouraging reporting of incidents to ADL, launching two community initiatives, engaging in Kulanu webinars, participating in a community of practice, and sharing program impact upon completion.

Chazzan Cliff Abramson says, “We deserve to live in a world devoid of hate. Temple Sinai is proud to join Kulanu to combat antisemitism all over the world and especially Israel, through unity, solidarity, and education. We seek partnerships with like-minded congregations, driven by the goal expressed simply by the late Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks who said ‘I don’t need you to agree with me, I need you to care about me!’”

Members of Temple Sinai’s Kulanu committee are: Chazzan Abramson, Andrea Eiffert (Staff Liaison), David Kaufman, Cindy Nash, Michelle Portnow-Rivas, Holly Schirtzer, Patty Schreiber, and Bob Steiner.

For information, visit templesinai-sarasota.org or contact Andrea Eiffert at aeiffert@templesinai-sarasota.org.