It was sixty-five years ago this past August 28, 2011,  when Mr. David Glick made a motion “to announce the beginning of a new congregation in Pittsburgh to be known as Sinai…” That motion was ratified at an opening meeting held at the Schenley Hotel on September 8, 1946, when forty families joined hands in establishing Pittsburgh’s second Reform congregation.

Temple Sinai comes from humble beginnings: a tiny room at Forbes and Murray housed our offices; two neighboring churches opened their hearts and their doors to us for our worship and Religious School. Dr. Burton E. Levinson, our first rabbi, accepted the challenge of molding a new congregation in Liberal Judaism from a small group of unaffiliated families who knew neither each other nor what Reform Judaism had to offer them.

Temple Sinai’s growth was phenomenal. In August 1947 we purchased the Worthington Mansion and converted it into a magnificent house of worship and learning, creating the Barnett Chapel from what was originally the dining room. Within a few short years, we had grown so large in number that High Holiday services were held at the YM&WHA building in Oakland. Outgrowing that, in 1949, services were moved to Carnegie Music Hall, where they remained for a number of years. Then in 1955 came the campaign to buy the property next door and build a sanctuary that could hold everyone who wanted to belong.

It is a story to be continued…
And thus begins our Sixty-Fifth year.

Note: Of the original forty families, we are blessed to still have among us Sandy Baskin, Myra Fall, Eleanor Goodman, Flo Leebov and Margaret Reich, who have been sharing their stories and memories with us. Keep a lookout for more information as the year progresses.

Architecture

The Temple complex includes the former Worthington Mansion, site of a magnificent chapel, lovely reception rooms, offices, and schoolrooms.

The grounds include a pond and the Bodek Rose Garden.

In 1957 we built the religious school and the auditorium next to the mansion. In 1969 we built the inspiring sanctuary, and in 1993 we renovated the chapel and the religious school. In 2005 we renovated the Leebov Sanctuary, the slate area, and the Krieger entrance.

The congregation stands today as a symbol of living Judaism and of our years of dedicated commitment to Temple Sinai and to its glorious future of service.