Temple Sinai turns 145 with colorful gala
By ALAN SMASON
Colors abounded at the Temple Sinai Gala on Saturday night as members and friends of the largest synagogue in Louisiana, celebrated its 145th anniversary, rallying in support of its past and looking favorably towards its future.
Members of the Pussyfooters dance troupe help Temple Sinai celebrate 145 years. (Photo by Alan Smason)
The aptly named Gold Standard, a band that played a variety of jazz and popular tunes, entertained the crowd through the evening. The hot pink costumes of the Pussyfooters, a popular marching dance troupe, also gave a rosy tint to the night’s activities. Four of the Reform temple’s membership are also members of the Pussyfooters, who eagerly sold raffle tickets to benefit Temple Sinai before later performing in front of the crowd.
A full buffet, which included catering from Shaya Restaurant and others, offered a diverse menu for attendees from Israeli food to a hand-carved roast beef station and to homemade chopped liver adorned with sliced olives.
Following the Pussyfooters performance, Rabbi Ed Paul Cohn welcomed attendees and introduced incoming president Bob Brickman. Brickman took the occasion to note the past involvement of the synagogue in promoting progress in human and civil rights as well as promoting social justice in the Crescent City. A proclamation issued by the City Council of the City of New Orleans last week for its 145th anniversary recognized Temple Sinai for its leadership role, he said.
Temple Sinai educators Rabbi Ed Paul Cohn, Ann Kientz and Cantor Joel Colman. (Photo by Alan Smason)
Brickman thanked Cohn for his spiritual leadership at Temple Sinai for the past 28 years and also acknowledged the work of Cantor Joel Colman and educator Ann Kientz, all teachers in the religious school. Brickman proudly acknowledged that the school has 100 students enrolled and that 40 children are following tracks to learn Hebrew. He also added that 13 bar or bat mitzvahs have been performed in just the past year.
“Many are from interfaith families,” Brinkman added. “I think that’s a tremendous achievement in any community.”
Cohn took back the microphone to echo the theme of the night, honoring the achievements of the synagogue’s past and in particular noting how well off it is today, despite the challenges of a decade ago when Hurricane Katrina forced the largest evacuation in the nation’s history and scattered its membership to the four winds.
Temple Sinai birthday cake (Photo by Alan Smason)
As Colman lead the attendees in a rendition of “Happy Birthday,” the Pussyfooters wheeled out a massive white cake adorned with blue and gold icing. Flanked with the numbers “1,” “4” and “5” along both the left and right sides, the inscription in gold icing read “Happy Birthday Temple Sinai 145 Years.”
A silent auction of donated items capped off the remainder of the evening’s activities with Gold Standard providing musical accompaniment until 10 p.m.
