Temple Sinai welcomes the whole community to celebrate Pride Month with a special welcome reception, Shabbat service and dinner on Friday, June 16, 2023 beginning at 5:00 p.m. Temple Sinai is located at 4631 South Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota (enter only from Proctor Road). Reform Jews are committed to the full participation and affirmation of people identifying as LGBTQ+ in synagogue life as well as society at large, and Temple Sinai will celebrate their commitment to inclusion with a special Pride Shabbat featuring guest speaker, Jason Champion, an LGBTQ leader within Sarasota County who sits as Board Chair of Project Pride and President of the SRQ LGBTQ Kickball league. He will share his thoughts about issues facing the LGBTQ+ community and how their challenges in some ways mirror the challenges faced by many Jews. Chazzan Abramson believes that we are created b'tzelem Elohim (in the image of God) and said, “Almost eighteen years ago, as I was making my decision to become the chazzan at Temple Sinai, I was moved by the message on our synagogue’s website about the meaning of the prayer, “Shema Koleinu” (Hear All Our Voices), a supplication to God to hear our collective voice, to grant us all compassion and mercy. I never forgot those words and they remain a defining principle at Temple Sinai today.” A welcome reception with light refreshments and beverages will precede the service and a festive Shabbat dinner will follow. The evening is being generously sponsored by Chazzan Abramson, members of Temple Sinai and friends from the community. Please pre-register for the dinner by Wednesday, June 14 at: templesinai-sarasota.org.For more information, visit templesinai-sarasota.org or call 941-924-1802.