wellness center

Many congregants at Temple Sinai are looking for new and meaningful ways to connect with congregational life so we are pleased to present the Wellness Center of Temple Sinai. The mission of the Wellness Center is to promote Wellness and Mind/Body Health by embracing Jewish traditions, values, and practices. The goal of the Wellness Center is to nourish the mind, body, and spirit. We offer workshops and classes on Mussar, Mindfulness Meditation, Chanting and Yoga, Pilates, Wise Aging, and a Parent/Baby Community group. All these programs strive to connect with Jewish thought and practice while at the same time endeavor to provide innovative approaches to build community, comfort, and belonging.

Please contact us at wellnesscenter@oaklandsinai.org for any questions about the Wellness Center of Temple Sinai or join one or all of our programs below!

To read inspiring words from Wellness Center participants David E. Jackson and Lynn Simon, please visit Temple Sinai's blog, Temple Talk.

Upcoming Wellness Center Classes and Events

Jewish Mindfulness Meditation

Multiple Dates, 9:00am, Temple Sinai

Come join Steve Goldstein as he leads a monthly Jewish Guided Meditation session in cultivating middot (attributes) such as gratitude, loving kindness, joy, forgiveness/self-forgiveness, and compassion. All are welcome, both experienced meditators and those who are new to meditation.

You are welcome to come to one or all the sessions. Each class is a stand-alone session. Register by going to the event date on the calendar or click links below. Questions? wellnesscenter@oaklandsinai.org

Saturday, January 17, 2026   •   Saturday, February 21, 2026   •   Saturday, March 21, 2026   •   Saturday, April 18, 2026   •   Saturday, May 16, 2026   •   Saturday, June 20, 2026

Yoga with a Jewish Twist

Thursday, January 8, 2026 and Thursday, February 12, 2026, 10:00am, Albers Chapel

In this monthly class, we will explore a variety of postures (asanas) designed to increase flexibility, strength, balance, and relaxation. You will discover the benefits of yoga through gentle movements, breathing exercises (pranayama), and guided relaxation. Cindy Berk, a Y-200 Yoga Instructor, will be leading each session.

• Connect with your body and mind

• Calm your nervous system

• Improve your physical and mental well-being

No prior yoga experience is necessary. Bring a yoga mat or a comfortable blanket. The Temple will provide a limited number of yoga mats.

Register

Baby and Me Tinok v'Ani

Starts Saturday, February 7, 2026, 9:30am, Temple Sinai Family Center

ARE YOU A NEW PARENT OR ABOUT TO BECOME A NEW PARENT? Was or will your baby be born between August 1, 2025 and January 30, 2026?

This informal group will be led by Karen Tanner, M.A., Infant Development Specialist, California Transdisciplinary Reflective Facilitator, and Credentialed Early Childhood Special Education teacher.

Join us Saturday mornings, February 7, 2026 through March 28, 2026 from 9:00-10:30am in the Family Center at Temple Sinai. You and your baby are invited to come meet other Jewish and Interfaith families who want to:

• Celebrate the discovery of parenting
• Explore what it means to be a new parent and hear others’ experiences
• Ask questions in a safe environment
• Seek support and develop new friends

There is no fee for Baby and Me, and you do not have to be a Temple Sinai member to attend. The registration deadline is January 30, 2026. Please register as soon as possible as space is limited. For more information contact karen@oaklandsinai.org.

Register

Why Call it a Wellness "Center"?

So why a “Center”? This is a virtual Center existing on the Temple’s website and social media sites. We want our congregants and the Jewish community at large to be able to go to one central location to find our wellness offerings. By offering these opportunities all under the umbrella of a Center, it demonstrates our goal of being intentional in our programs to promote Wellness. The Wellness Center’s Kavanah (the Hebrew word for intention) is to offer an innovative and comprehensive approach to our Jewish spirituality and wellness focusing on the following areas:

• Mussar is a Jewish spiritual practice that helps us in leading meaningful and ethical lives.
• Meditation techniques cultivate a deeper sense of Jewish values such as gratitude.
• Yoga practices connect our bodies and minds to our breath and soul through Jewish musical chant and motion. 
• Embodied Prayer explores a series of exercises, based on Pilates principles, linked to the Jewish Blessings for Daily Miracles.
• Parents and their newborns attend in-person sessions to support their adjustment to life with their newborn and explore Jewish themes that relate to starting a young family.
• Wise Aging explores the experiences, challenges, and opportunities as an older adult through a Jewish lens.

Previous Classes and Events

Over 90 attendees enjoyed a wonderful day of activities on Jewish Wellness and Spirituality at the September 30th Wellness Center Open House. The day’s offerings included Baby and Me Parent Group, Torah Study, Music in Motion Shabbat Morning Service, The Art of Mindful Eating, Introduction to Mussar, Embodied Prayer, Wise Aging, and Sukkot Guided Meditation. 

Other Ways to Get Involved
 

Wise Aging

The Wise Aging program explores the experiences, challenges, and opportunities of older adults through a Jewish lens. We offer ongoing Wise Aging groups as well as public presentations, roughly once a month, by experts on topics related to aging. For more information on both, please go to oaklandsinai.org/comm-wise-aging.

Wise Aging Groups explore topics such as cultivating nourishing relationships, living with loss, forgiveness, accepting our aging bodies, legacy and stewardship, and more. Participants have opportunities for personal sharing, mindfulness practice, and text study. Following an initial set of eight sessions, led by trained facilitators, our past groups have all continued in self-facilitated form. A new group will be forming in the Winter of 2026, and is expected to meet in person. Groups are ongoing and member-only. Targeted group: 55+ adults, must apply.

Wise Aging Presentations are free, on Zoom, and usually open to the general public upon registration. Program announcements are made through a Google group list (write to wiseaging@oaklandsinai.org to be added to the list), and on the Temple Sinai website.

Please contact us at wellnesscenter@oaklandsinai.org for any questions about the Wellness Center of Temple Sinai.