It's a long-established Jewish congregation, but Temple De Hirsch-Sinai reaches out to all its neighbors in Capitol Hill and the Central Area. Its spacious and light-filled sanctuary welcomes hundreds of people -whether to worship on Friday night, to hold an interfaith workshop on climate change, or help Capitol Hill residents grieve for victims of a tragic shooting.
According to senior Rabbi Daniel A. Weiner, serving the community is an important spiritual precept.
"There is a mandate in Judaism for repairing the world, and we are staying committed," he said. "We are the only established congregation that remained in the [heart of the city] after the 'white flight' of the '60s, when a great deal of people moved to the suburbs.
That's why De Hirsch offers a women's shelter in the neighborhood. That is why it is committed to the Islamic School and a number of different social causes, as well as environmental and social issues. Earlier this month, De Hirsch joined Christians and Muslims to co host the Interfaith Creation Festival, involving roughly 50 congregations.
"It provides an opportunity for service to others," Weiner said. "We are reaching out to those most vulnerable. In our busy and comfortable lives, it is easy for reformed Jews to lose site of this, so we are constantly re-envisioning our social outreach."
Temple De Hirsch formed in 1899, named after a Jewish philanthropist in Germany, Baron Maurice de Hirsch. It moved from its original location to its new sanctuary in the 1960s. The name "Sinai" was added after the congregation merged with Temple Sinai in the eastern suburbs.
But when it came time to build a new sanctuary in Bellevue, the option of leaving Seattle was never on the table according to Ken Schlegel, assistant executive director. His job is to help new and existing members to connect with the temple community.
"It was never up for debate," he said. "Our Seattle campus has been very important as far back as anyone can remember."
Now, Temple De Hirsch Sinai has two locations, in the Eastgate neighborhood of Bellevue and its original location on Capitol Hill. Schlegel said its rabbis divide their time equally between the two locations.
De Hirsch's Capitol Hill main sanctuary helps re-define tradition. Instead of simply facing forward, the rows of pews radiate towards the raised platform which holds the pulpit and the ark (the structure that holds the Torah or scripture scrolls).
In the smaller chapel, across the main entrance from the sanctuary, things are arranged in a more traditional fashion, with all seats facing the front. The seats all face the ark from the original buildings of Temple de Hirsch in the front, and a stained glass window in the back depicts Moses in the wilderness.
Back in the main sanctuary, a large number of stained glass windows help fill the structure with light and warmth. De Hirsch's services include music from an organ, as well as the occasional "Rock Shabbat" service with guitars and drums -both unheard of in more traditional Jewish worship services.
"Reform Judaism has embraced the world around it," Schlegel said. "There is less Hebrew and more participation with the congregation," Schlegel said. "Men and women are called up (to read from the Hebrew scrolls of the five books of Moses, and the services are shorter."
The movement started in the 19th century in Germany, and it migrated to the United States. Religious services many years ago typically had more English than Hebrew. Some congregations actually held services on Sundays. Schlegel noted that within the past 10 years, the pendulum is swinging back.
"We're bringing back a bit more Hebrew, and a little more praying in Hebrew within our services," Schlegel said. "We are upping the ante and our members expect more."
But De Hirsch's tradition of reaching out to the Seattle community remains as strong as ever. As an example, Rabbi Weiner worked with St. Mark's Cathedral several years ago to found Faith Forward, an interfaith organization which served as a catalyst for religious progressives with social issues.
"We wanted to show that serious religious commitment is not just the provenance of the Religious Right, and that progressive religious leaders could also have a voice [in social issues]," he said. "It has since morphed into a lot of different and more timely efforts."
De Hirsch continues its interfaith outreach on the Hill, working with St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle University and Mount Zion Baptist Church.
"The outreach also goes inward - to the large number of Jewish people in Seattle who aren't affiliated with any synagogue - as well as to interfaith couples," Weiner said. "Seattle has one of the largest 'un-churched' populations in the country among Christians and Jews as well."
Rather than providing specific programs for gays and lesbians, Schlegel said De Hirsch's approach is one of general inclusion. People from the LGBT community are included and accepted in the congregation just as anyone else.
Temple De Hirsch Sinai is located between Pike and Union streets and between 15th and 16th avenues. For more information, call 206-323-8486 or go to www.tdhs-nw.org.
Freelance writer John Livingston can be reached at editor@ capitolhilltimes.com
(Author's note: One of the Orthodox congregations which moved its facilities to Seward Park, Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath, now holds regular meetings for services every Sabbath and holiday in the Council House retirement home on Capitol Hill.)[[In-content Ad]]
