From The President

Dear Congregants and Friends,

Several weeks ago, the CBI community came together for a joyous celebration of our beloved Rabbi Rachel Barenblat and her 13 years of service as spiritual leader of CBI. During the Shabbat service, co-led by Rabbi Rachel and her dear friend and colleague Rabbi David Markus, Rabbi Rachel was called to the Torah in recognition of her service, and various groups of members, friends, and family were called up for aliyot. Rabbi Rachel gave a beautiful D’var Torah and I congratulated Rabbi Rachel and gave her gifts from the congregation, including a photo book documenting her years as our Rabbi; a copy of that book is on our library bookshelf and you are all welcome to look at it. Adam Green directed our talented choir, who added much beauty to the service with a variety of musical pieces, both traditional and newly composed.

We presented a beautifully embroidered challah cover to the Congregation in Rabbi Rachel’s honor. I had the privilege of announcing that our Torah Restoration & Maintenance Fund, established in her honor, has now reached $14,000, enough to begin the repairs this February, when a traveling sofer (scribe) will visit CBI and work with our 2 main Torahs. We still need to raise money to be able to properly maintain them, but this is a huge step for us and I thank everyone who has contributed to date. We were delighted to welcome back Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser, our previous rabbi and Rabbi Rachel’s mentor, along with some former members who have moved away, and clergy from local churches and synagogues.

We enjoyed a bountiful kiddush followed by a delicious Middle Eastern feast, catered in part by our own Jen Burt, with generous contributions of food from our guests, and enlivened with music from Margot Leverett and the Klezmer Mountain Boys. I hope you will take a few minutes to view the heart-felt tributes made by Wendy Penner, Dara Kaufman (Executive Director of Jewish Federation of the Berkshires), Adam Green (CBI’s Music Director), and Rabbi Jarah Greenfield (CBI’s Director of Youth & Family Learning).

I would like to thank our chair Wendy Penner and the Celebration Committee (Robin Brickman, Suzanne Levy Graver, Darlene Radin, and Cheryl Sacks), who worked tirelessly to make this such a wonderful event; Adam Green and the choir; Jen Burt, who not only catered but magically transformed a worship space into a celebratory party space; all the ushers and schleppers; the Board for their ongoing support; and everyone whose contributions of food, money, ideas, and help made this event possible.

Now we move on to December and look forward to the lights and celebrations of Chanukah. I hope you will join us at one or many of the upcoming celebrations, both at CBI and around the community.

We launch our celebrations on Saturday, December 7 from 1pm–3:30pm with a Chanukah candle making program in Bennington VT, followed by a Chanukah Celebration & Songfest at CBI on Monday, December 16 from 5:30pm–7pm. Please note that we will not be having a bonfire this year, due to ongoing drought conditions and fire safety considerations. There will be public menorah lightings, to which all are invited, in Bennington, North Adams, and Williamstown. And there will be a wonderful Chanukah party for adults and children on Friday, December 27 at a private home in North Bennington VT. You’ll find more details and RSVP links in our newsletter and weekly announcements.

I hope that even as the days grow shorter and darker as we approach Chanukah, we will find joy in our Jewish traditions and come together to celebrate again in community.

Warmly,

— Natalie Matus

Mazel Tov, Rabbi Rachel! It is such a pleasure to stand at the bimah and to celebrate with congregants and friends! This is a momentous occasion for you, for our congregation, and for family and friends. Thirteen years together – what a wonderful milestone!

You became our beloved Rabbi in 2011, when you took up the pulpit at CBI as a newly ordained Rabbi. Since then, you and CBI have grown together. You have been our spiritual leader, guiding us through some tumultuous and difficult times. We have worshiped and learned together, celebrated Shabbat and holidays, gathered for joyous life cycle events, and mourned our losses. Adults and children have studied Jewish practice, values, and traditions under your guidance. Your door is always open to those who seek pastoral counseling. You have enriched our services with music and poetry, and have worked collaboratively with 6 presidents, many of whom are here, and countless board members. You’re always a positive role model, no matter how thorny the issue. On a personal note, I have loved partnering with you over the past 5 years – first as a board member and then as president. I have learned so much from you and am inspired by your leadership and guidance.
We are so very fortunate that you have been our spiritual leader over these past 13 years, and we look forward to many more years together.

As a token of our deep appreciation, it is my honor to give these gifts on behalf of the CBI congregation. First – a photo book documenting your time at CBI, lovingly created by Cheryl Sacks and Wendy Penner, with special thanks to Len Radin, Roger Matus, and the many congregants and friends who sent in photos; a Sol Lewitt yarmulke, which we hope you will wear with pride as you lead us. And in honor of your service as our Rabbi, a beautiful new challah cover to the CBI congregation, to use at our kiddushes. We will have a copy of the photo book available for everyone to see after services.

A testament to your generosity, you requested that people who wanted to recognize you could make a donation to the newly created Torah Restoration & Maintenance Fund. I am thrilled to announce that to date we have raised $14,000, enough to begin the repairs on our two primary Torahs. We look forward to reaching our goal of $50,000 with everyone’s help.

Finally, I want to thank Wendy Penner for chairing this wonderful celebration, and the Event Committee, Robin Brickman, Suzanne Levy Graver, Darlene Rudin, and Cheryl Sacks, whose guidance and support made this possible.

May you go from strength to strength and celebrate many more joyous occasions with your CBI family! Wishing you many blessings in the years to come.

Welcome. I’m Wendy Penner, chair of the planning committee. Thank you all for being here! Special thanks today go to Rabbi David Markus for coming here to honor Rabbi Rachel and co- lead the service; Natalie Matus, our president, and the Board for all their work to make today possible; Adam Green and the CBI Choir for their lovely music; the Event Committee (Robin Brickman, Cheryl Sacks, Suzanne Levy Graver, Natalie Matus, and Darlene Radin); Jen Burt for decorating and for catering our feast with support from her family; Ben Rudin for room set-up; all the ushers and schleppers who rearranged the room; Oliver Jones, our office administrator; and all those who underwrote the kiddush luncheon.

Rabbi Rachel: I’ve had the privilege of knowing you since before you became a Rabbi. You have been a part of CBI since before 2011 – both the year you became ordained and when you began serving as our Rabbi. Before you became our Rabbi, you were a teacher in CBI’s youth education program, leader of our religion committee, a participant in our Rosh Chodesh group, and more. It was a gift to our community that you were able to become our Rabbi during a very difficult time of transition, and right after you were ordained. I’m so thrilled that today we celebrate 13 years of you serving in that role.

Your grounding in the Jewish Renewal movement has brought a fresh perspective on Judaism and social justice that flavors our community spiritual practice in ways we treasure with new melodies, and a heart-centered sense of inclusion and openness.

How lucky we are to have your writing in both sermons and in your poetry to enrich our spiritual lives as we try to navigate the profound challenges of our lives and our world place. These works add depth and dimension to our community. After all – most people only get to experience your writing through your award winning blog, The Velveteen Rabbi, (started in 2003), your 6 published books of poetry, and your many other incredible published works, including the beautiful Velveteen Rabbi Haggadah which you so generously make available for free online – such a mitzvah.

Rather than try to say in my own words how special you are, I asked some community members to share their words about you for this occasion. I will share just a few of them now:

“Rachel has found her calling in life being a Rabbi. She is everything good in a human being. I attended all the funerals in our congregation the last 10 years. She handled every one with the utmost compassion and skill in comforting the grieving.I will always remember how comforting it was to have her there for me in those very difficult days of my life.”

“Rabbi Rachel is a natural leader and the glue that holds the synagogue together. And does it with courage and conviction.We are grateful and extremely lucky to have her.”

“Rachel has made services so much more meaningful to me than any other Rabbi.”

“We are immensely fortunate to have a Rabbi as knowledgeable, open-minded, inclusive, and empathic as Rachel. Attentive to the needs of all, she thoughtfully and sensitively attends to our differences, and in so doing unites us.”

“Rabbi Rachel is a life force for all of us at CBI. Her religious services touch the hearts and souls of everyone in the Temple. She is a sensitive, kind, smart and understanding person who puts others’ needs in the forefront. Our collective spiritual lives benefit so tremendously from Rabbi Rachel’s commitment to CBI and its congregants.”

Rabbi, I know the work you do is not easy. My wish for you is that you may find meaning and purpose in serving CBI, and may we be able to grow and evolve as individuals and as a congregation with the benefit of your contributions as our Rabbi.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role as Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires has been the opportunity to worship and celebrate with the diverse congregations that make up our vibrant Jewish community. These experiences have deepened my appreciation for the richness of our community and the incredible Rabbinic and lay leadership we are fortunate to have.

Rabbi Rachel, on behalf of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires board and staff, I want to congratulate you on your 13 years of spiritual leadership at Congregation Beth Israel and thank you for partnership and the profound impact you have had on all of us.

As I reflected on what to share with you today, I knew I wanted to highlight your unwavering dedication, your thoughtful wisdom, and your profoundly compassionate spirit. These qualities have not only benefited your CBI family, they have also strengthened our entire Jewish community. You have been an active leader who has always supported our shared work – whether through your music and leadership at Shabbat Across the Berkshires and our community-wide Havdalah services, or, most recently, your work shaping our October 7th commemoration program.

Your collaboration with the Federation and your fellow rabbis and their congregations has been instrumental in fostering the respect, trust, and unity that define our Jewish community today. You have been a cherished partner in creating the vibrant, welcoming Jewish Berkshires that we are all proud and privileged to be a part of.
The past few years have brought unprecedented challenges to the Jewish people, and in many ways, it has become more challenging and more complex to be a communal leader. From Charlottesville to Tree of Life, from the pandemic shutdown to the uncertain reemergence, and from the October 7th terrorist attack to the ongoing war in Gaza and the surrounding region – these moments of crisis have tested us all. Add to that the escalating antisemitism, security threats, and other global crises, and the role of leadership has never been more demanding.

As I have worked with you and our rabbis and presidents’ group to navigate these many challenges, I’ve witnessed another quality that you bring to your community – one that probably is not as noticeable but also deserves recognition. It is the deep inner strength you bring to your leadership – your ability to show up every day with your best, most resilient, and most compassionate self in order to share that strength with everyone in this room.

Rachel, mazel tov on reaching this bat mitzvah year of service to Congregation Beth Israel. We are incredibly grateful for your partnership, your leadership, and your unwavering commitment to shaping and inspiring Jewish life in our community. I look forward to many more years of working together and seeing the continued impact of your work and the success of Congregation Beth Israel. May you continue to go from strength to strength.

Thank you.

I remember the first time I talked to Rabbi Rachel (this was not the first time I’d heard of her or read her writing – I’d encountered her Velveteen Rabbi blog in the 2000s). I was new to the Berkshires and looking for a synagogue to belong to. This was in 2021, when everything was still remote. I met with her during her Zoom office hours and introduced myself, and, thinking that I ought to let her know that I was willing to make myself useful around the synagogue, I told her that I’d directed a choir some years back and asked if she’d be interested in me doing that here. She seemed positive about the idea.

To be honest, back then I didn’t particularly expect the choir to get off the ground. Whenever I’d tried to recruit people to start a new activity, it hadn’t really been successful. In addition, the one time I’d tried to direct a choir before, it was a stressful and difficult experience. The leadership of the Unitarian church where I did the job didn’t provide me with much support, and most of my suggestions were shot down. I even had a hard time getting the singers to do things like stop chatting and start warming up. No one there took the music I was trying to make seriously.

But in the fall of 2021, Rabbi Rachel asked me to play some pieces for the High Holidays and to accompany her on one piece, and I quickly came to appreciate just how much she loved and valued music. When I rehearsed with her, I was struck by how diligent she was about practicing her part, how respectful she was toward me as a musician, and how she welcomed feedback because she was dedicated to getting it right. Even in a time as stressful as the leadup to the first High Holidays after lockdown, it mattered that much to her to work on this piece until she could sing it well.

As time went on, she continued to talk about the choir as if it was something she actually expected to happen. When I composed a Hashkiveinu round for her father’s shiva call in early 2022 (by then I’d learned how much of a comfort music was to her), she mentioned that the future choir would be able to sing it. I confess that at this point I was still skeptical.

But then that summer, Natalie and the Adult Programming Committee made a point of scheduling more in-person events because COVID restrictions had been mostly lifted. Rabbi Rachel compiled a list of people she thought might be interested in singing in a choir, and we all filled out a Doodle poll to decide what time to rehearse, and Sunday mornings won. And so, on a hot Sunday morning in July, I found myself with a bunch of prospective singers to direct – outside. Most of them hadn’t sung in a choir in years – some of them never had – and this particular group had never existed before. I was overwhelmed.

I was very unsure of myself as a director then. In part because of my previous experience, I wasn’t confident that I would be able to make the choir interesting enough that anyone would want to come back – or if they did come back, that they would be willing to do things like actually start warming up instead of chatting about their cousin’s car trouble.

This is when I really learned how powerful it is to have a leader who believes in you. In choir rehearsal. Rabbi Rachel was just as attentive, just as diligent, and just as respectful of me as she had been in the private rehearsals the year before. She made it clear that she had my back 100% – if I had something to say, she would treat it as important. She collaborated with me in making decisions about what music to learn, and suggested pieces that she wanted to do, and treated this endeavor as something she was dedicated to making succeed.

She saw me as someone who could be a leader – despite the fact that I’m shy, despite the fact that I didn’t have much experience – and so that’s what I started to become. She was willing to say yes to new ideas, like the choir performing at concerts – and so these things started coming to pass. You all heard today what can happen when someone believes in you – a rural congregation of this size can form a choir that can sing sophisticated music, from Salamone Rossi in the late Renaissance/early Baroque, to pieces composed this year. None of this could have happened without Rabbi Rachel’s unceasing support every step of the way.

And so, I would like to say, from the bottom of my heart – thank you, Rabbi Rachel, for everything you’ve done to make this choir a reality. Thank you for showing up to rehearsal every week, and for putting in the time at your piano to work on your music outside of rehearsal. Thank you for being the bedrock of our alto section. ותודה שאת לא מתעצבנת כשאני מדבר אלייך בעברית (“and thank you for not getting annoyed when I talk to you in Hebrew”). Last of all, thank you for being a great friend, and for being there for me when I really needed someone. It is an honor to serve this community alongside you, and I wish for you, as you move into the next thirteen years of your rabbinate, just as much love, kindness, support, genuine understanding and connection, as you have given me. May your world always be filled with harmony.

It’s an honor to have been asked to offer some remarks for this morning’s celebration of Rabbi Rachel.

Rabbi Rachel, as I have told you in the past, before we met in 2008 you enjoyed a bit of a fan following among my former congregation in Maywood, NJ. I read your poems regularly during Shabbat services and my congregants loved them. Certain poems became such an integral part of our prayer service that they rose to the status of what we Reconstructionists like to joke about in reference to the layout of our siddur, Kol Haneshamah, as “below-the-line-worthy.” And even now, I recall the tone of awe in the voice of the chairwoman of my ritual committee wondering, “Who is she?” When I let the women on my ritual committee know that I had met you in person at a rabbinic leadership retreat, they were star struck to find out that I had met the Velveteen Rabbi in real life.

Over the years I have known you, I have always deeply admired the strong and direct through-line between your interior spiritual life to your self-expression in your rabbinic work. Your honesty, integrity and courage to openly write and talk about personal challenges that I think most rabbis would choose to keep private, and your ability to filter your experiences through the lens of Jewish wisdom and the art of the written word, are indicative of your true spiritual leadership. In a world that uses judgement, manipulation, and money to break the spirits and careers of those who fail to represent a very narrow set of beliefs and qualities assigned by those in positions of power to the religious exemplar, you take a different route. You give people an example of what it looks like to process the hits we take in life – the ones we’re not supposed to talk about publicly, like postpartum depression, divorce, health conditions, and even our Zionism – and you let people know that our difficulties are not weaknesses. You show that they are threads of connection to the Divine that link us back through thousands of years of Jewish faith, sacred text and tradition. The hits we take and the journeys we make through the darkness are our strength and our song. Ozi v’zimrat Yah va’yehi li lishuah – עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה – and they become our salvation.

And speaking of strength and song, I asked my son, Isaac, what he admired about Rabbi Rachel and he said, “She plays guitar really well.” I have to agree. The 15 minutes of Tefilah Time that we lead together every Monday with the students of Jewish Journeys is often the spiritual highlight of my week. Thank you for your easy, beautiful way in music and prayer. Natalie Matus has remarked at times that you and I don’t have the typical rabbinic turf issues that many other rabbis serving in the same community tend to have. That is because it is a privilege to work with you. I am so grateful for our compatibility and collaboration.

CBI is lucky to have you as their rabbinic leader. And what a blessing it is to you to have this incredible group of congregants who bring their talents, skills, commitment to Jewish life, and most certainly, their respect and admiration for you to this small but wonderful community. We are also lucky to get Drew as a bonus, whose spirit, personality, musical talent and level of menschlichkite is a great source of satisfaction for those of us who have watched him grow up over the years.

Rabbi Rachel, thank you for modeling for us what it looks like to be deeply rooted in Jewish meaning, learning, living and doing. Thank you for embodying your beliefs and being able to convey Jewish relevance in a way that nourishes the soul. Your gift flows like water from a deep wellspring of ancestral Jewish wisdom, streaming through your writing, teaching, prayer leading and pastoral work. You are the real deal. May you look around at the faces in this room and take in the pride, respect, admiration and love that has inspired us to gather in celebration of your 13 years of tenure at CBI. Mazel tov!