To Our New Sinai Temple Community,
My name is Avi Taff and I am honored and excited to become your newest Associate Rabbi, joining your inspiring staff and clergy team already in place.
For the past 13 years, I have had the distinct honor of serving the Valley Beth Shalom community and while I will miss the children, families, and staff with whom I had the pleasure of working, I am beyond excited to begin the next chapter of my rabbinic career here at Sinai Temple.
If I had to summarize my rabbinate, I would say that it is the relationships that I have formed and helped to foster which have been at the core of my work. I am eager to continue this sacred work of connecting—with each other, with our tradition, with the people of Israel and the state of Israel and through the holy task of healing our fractured world.
Pirke Avot Chapter 1 Mishnah 2 teaches:
Shimon the righteous said: "The world stands on three things: Torah, the Temple service (prayer), and acts of loving kindness." 20th Century Scholar, Jacob Neusner (z"l) teaches that the world does not actually stand on these ideals. Rather, the statement is aspirational. We yearn to lift up our world through the study of Torah, through joining together in meaningful prayer experiences and through giving of ourselves to create a world better than we found it.
After the last two years, the words of Shimon the Righteous and the interpretation of Neusner could not ring truer. I cannot wait to join Rabbis Wolpe, Guzik, and Sherman as well as Cantor Feldman, the incredible staff and lay leadership, and every member of Sinai Temple in dreaming of what Jewish life will look like for ourselves, for our children, and for our children’s children.
I, along with my wife Amy and our children, Ethan (17), Eliana (10) and Noa (8), look forward to joining the Sinai community in July. Until then, have a great summer! As I get acclimated, I would love to meet as many members of the community as possible. Please be in touch with Judy Begin, Temple Administrator, to set up a time for us to connect!
Sincerely,
Rabbi Avi Taff