Annual Giving

To give to this year's Annual Giving Fund, please use our online donation portal. Payment will be for a donation and the type is option #2. Annual Giving Campaign. Thank you!

Letter from our Co-Presidents:

We are honored to begin our term as Temple Sinai's new co-presidents, especially as we celebrate our congregation's 150th anniversary.

As you know, having diverse opinions — from the holy to the mundane — is a hallmark of Judaism and has fostered lively exchanges and dialogue throughout time. Undoubtedly, our congregation’s founders had various viewpoints on how, when, and where to do things. But they clearly agreed on the “why”. They were visionaries who saw the need to build a community and spiritual home for Jews in the East Bay. 

At Temple Sinai, community is our essence. This spirit of community is at the heart of our annual giving campaign. While membership contributions help sustain our foundation, they only cover a portion of what it takes to bring Temple Sinai’s vibrant programs to life. Tuition and other program fees do not cover the full cost of educating future Jewish leaders or providing our community with a place to learn and grow together as we age.  

We are so grateful that you have chosen to be a part of our community. And we invite you to make a meaningful gift — whether it’s $36, $360, or $3,600 — to help us strengthen and grow together. If you haven’t been to Temple in a while, we warmly invite you to return. Join us for a Shabbat service, help us feed Oakland’s unhoused with our Social Action committee, join a study group, or attend a class in our new Family Center. Your presence is valued. If you’re unsure about where to get involved, ask us!

Previous generations of our temple family made it through difficult times and carried our congregation to this moment. The responsibility now rests with each of us to ensure that we remain a robust and dynamic place of worship, learning and Jewish engagement.

Thank you for your generosity and dedication to our extraordinary congregational community.

L’Shalom,

Aviva Black and Lori Waltzer
Co-Presidents
President@oaklandsinai.org

Updated Tax Advantaged Ways to Give

Updated Tax Advantaged Ways to Give – December 30, 2025

Between now and year-end, you have a powerful opportunity to maximize your generosity before new changes take effect in 2026. Here are a few possible steps you could take to minimize the effect for your multi-year pledge.

New deduction floor: Beginning in 2026, donors who itemize will only be able to deduct charitable contributions that exceed 0.5% of their adjusted gross income (AGI).

Reduced benefit for top earners: The maximum tax benefit will be capped at 35 cents per dollar donated, down from the current 37 cents.

Accelerate your giving: If you plan to give over several years, consider front-loading your donations in 2025 to lock in today’s more favorable tax treatment.

Use donor-advised funds (DAFs): Contribute this year, receive the full tax benefit now, and distribute grants over time.

Non-cash gifts still matter: Gifts of appreciated stock or other non-cash assets remain a tax-efficient tool.

Take advantage of the higher SALT cap: In 2025, the state and local tax deduction cap temporarily rises from $10,000 to $40,000 for some taxpayers. This makes itemizing more attractive for those whose income is under phase-out levels, especially here in California. If you switch to itemizing, consider frontloading charitable gifts to maximize savings. 

Explore IRA giving: If you’re over 70½, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) let you donate up to $108,000 directly to charities, bypassing the new deduction floor and cap.

We encourage you to speak with your financial advisor or tax professional to explore how these changes may affect your giving strategy.

Tax Advantaged Ways to Support Temple Sinai this December

An Easy Way to Donate

Gifts of appreciated stocks, bonds, real estate, tangible assets — or just a check — are the easiest and most direct way to support Temple Sinai. These gifts are the most immediate way to enhance Temple life, and they often lead to an immediate tax deduction. Plus, a gift of appreciated property can yield additional tax savings.

“Bunching Donations” 

If you anticipate your total itemized deductions will be slightly below your standard deduction amount, you can combine or “bunch” contributions for multiple years into a single tax year. With bunching, you would itemize deductions on your current tax return and take the standard deduction on your future return to potentially produce a larger two-year deduction than you would get by claiming two years of standard deductions.

Minimize Taxes on a Retirement Account Withdrawal

Charitable deductions may also help lower taxes on withdrawals from your tax-deferred retirement accounts. Taking a distribution offers tax benefits by potentially reducing your taxable estate and the tax liability for account beneficiaries. But remember, you generally need to be over age 59 ½ to avoid an early withdrawal penalty. 

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs)

For those who are 70 ½ or older, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) are a great way to support Temple Sinai during your lifetime. A QCD is a direct transfer from your IRA to a qualified charity, totally free of federal tax. In 2025, you can direct up to $108,000 to qualified charities. If you file jointly, your spouse can also make a QCD from his or her own IRA within the same tax year for up to $108,000.

QCDs count toward your annual required minimum distribution (RMD) if certain rules are met. A QCD is often more tax efficient than taking the required distribution and making donations separately.

•••

Please be in touch if a conversation would be useful to you. Executive Director Terrie Goren
(terrie@oaklandsinai.org), Rhonda Hartman (rhonda@oaklandsinai.org), and Development Director
Makenzie Means (makenzie@oaklandsinai.org) are standing by and ready to answer any questions
you may have. You may also contact them at the Temple office at (510) 451-3263.

Please remember that information from Temple Sinai is intended to be educational and is not intended as legal or financial advice. Please check with your financial and legal advisors on how best to take advantage of these and other tax advantaged ways to benefit Temple Sinai.