Life Cycle Events
The Temple Sinai community is here to support you through all of life’s moments from big to small, celebratory to somber. Below is information about the formal ways we mark life cycle moments in our community; if you have any questions or would like to talk more about how we mark moments with meaning together, please contact Rabbi Rheins or Rabbi Shields. Note that for those who are Temple Sinai members, there is no clergy fee for any life cycle ceremony.
Birth
We are always thrilled to welcome our newest and tiniest Sinai members! Our clergy can work with you to build a ceremony that is meaningful, inclusive and suits your family’s needs as you bring this new life into the world and the Jewish community. We can help you choose a Hebrew name, coordinate with a mohel for a circumcision when applicable and create a beautiful experience officiated either at Temple Sinai or another location. We are fully welcoming of LGBTQ+ families as well as families created through adoption and can craft rituals to meet specific needs. Coordinating the celebration can begin before your child’s arrival or after they’ve joined us! Please call the Sinai office (303) 759-1827 or email one of the Rabbis directly at rabrheins@sinaidenver.org or rabbishields@sinaidenver.org.
B’nei Mitzvah
Becoming a Bar, Bat, or Brit Mitzvah (a son, daughter, or child of the commandment) is a beautiful next step on the journey of Jewish living. At Temple Sinai, we create a service that focuses on the individual family and that highlights the achievement of the student in a non-stressful, joyous, and inclusive celebration of Jewish faith and values. Our B’nei Mitzvah services are on Shabbat morning at 10:30 am or we also offer a Minchah (Shabbat afternoon) service which begins some time between 4 – 5 pm. We strive to ensure that this milestone will be a joyful, educational, and meaningful experience for your family. Our clergy, staff and tutors are committed to making sure that this life cycle event is spiritually uplifting and that each and every family feels a personal connection with the Torah and with Temple Sinai.
Our team will work with you every step of the way, from ensuring that your child feels prepared and confident to coordinating a celebration at Temple Sinai to making the journey leading up to the day as meaningful as possible. If you’d like to request a date and talk more about the B’nei Mitzvah experience, please call or email Lauren Bubis at (303) 759-1827 or lauren@sinaidenver.org
Conversion
The Denver Jewish community collectively offers an excellent 28-week Introduction to Judaism (ITJ) Course. We recommend ITJ as the first step on a conversion journey and both Rabbi Rheins and Rabbi Shields serve as rabbinic sponsors for students taking the course. For more information, visit https://itjrmrc.com and/or email rmrcitj@gmail.com.
Weddings
Jewish weddings are full of excitement, joy and traditions that symbolize the beauty of sacred partnership. At Temple Sinai, we work with you to create a service that highlights the uniqueness of your relationship and the life you dream of building. Our rabbis will work with you in the months leading up to your ceremony to both plan the ceremony and guide you through pre-marital counseling. Both of our Rabbis will officiate at weddings between two Jewish partners and Rabbi Shields will also officiate at interfaith weddings. It is our honor to be a part of your simchah and therefore there is no clergy fee for the weddings of Temple Sinai members. To begin the conversation, please contact one of the Rabbis directly at rabrheins@sinaidenver.org or rabbishields@sinaidenver.org.
End of Life
Temple Sinai clergy and staff are here to help your family at these difficult and sensitive times. Jewish traditions surrounding death are extremely meaningful. If you are unfamiliar with the traditions, we can help you with information about the funeral, mourning traditions, shiva, unveilings and yahrzeits. Temple Sinai members are also given the option of having the funeral service in our beautiful Zwerin Sanctuary or the exquisite Abrahams Family Chapel.
Our clergy are also here for congregants when they (or a family member) are nearing end of life as well. Hospital visits and home visits from our clergy are a phone call away. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you are looking for burial plots, our staff can help you purchase a plot in the Temple Sinai section of Mt. Nebo cemetery. For more information call or email Lauren Bubis at (303) 759-1827 or lauren@sinaidenver.org.
When there has been a death, please call Rabbi Rheins immediately at (303) 759-1827. If there is no answer, leave a message and then send him an email at rabrheins@sinaidenver.org. He will return your call ASAP.
