As we enter a new secular year, I am still glowing with the joy of celebrating Chanukah, first at CBI where we held a spirited songfest and dreidel spinning contest, and enjoyed delicious homemade pizza and sufganiyot. Later in the month, we lit our hanukkiahs and enjoyed latkes at a Chanukah party in southern Vermont, part of our program for families with the NEFESH community.
As we enter December I’m still feeling the reverberations of the Shabbat in November when we celebrated my thirteen years (so far) of serving the CBI community.
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.
As I write these words, the election is a scant week away. I’ve heard from many of you that it’s hard to think about much else right now. This election feels momentous and maybe even frightening in a way we’ve never experienced before.
Preparations are fully underway for our High Holy Day services and programs. I am looking forward to worshiping with you very soon. It is always wonderful to welcome you to our beautiful sanctuary. Thanks to those of you who have already RSVP’d for services.
As I was sitting in the sanctuary last Saturday morning during Shabbat services, a rabbit was munching on a nice green blade of grass covered in morning dew and stared at me through the window… for a long time. Birds of various sizes landed on the grass near him. This beautiful sight reminded me that our property doesn’t belong solely to us – it is also part of the natural world, and we share it with many other creatures, who rely on it for food, protection, and water. Taking care of it in a responsible way is part of our mission.
As the days get longer and summer beckons, CBI professional and lay leaders are busy planning for the summer and the year ahead.
As we move past Passover, I’d like to draw your attention to some of our upcoming events and programs. On Saturday, May 18 at 10am, you are all invited to a Jewish Journeys Shabbat morning service, during which we will celebrate Shabbat, our students and teachers, and will get a taste of what our students have learned over the course of the semester.
I know from speaking with y’all that the continuing conflict in Israel / Palestine is weighing heavy on many hearts. (Including my own.) Across our community we have many different relationships with that place and its peoples, and sometimes it is hard to know how to speak with each other given our range of views. This is true across the American Jewish community, and community divisions are emerging in many places. And yet, given rising antisemitism, now is a time when we need each other across Jewish community all the more.
