I am still kvelling about the wonderful Purim Party that we held on March 23, in conjunction with NEFESH. Over 80 people of all ages joined us in celebration and community, in spite of the winter storm that unfortunately meant that some folks were snowed in and unable to attend.
As the days get longer and we are awakened in the morning by the songs of birds newly arrived from points south, we are looking forward to all that spring brings to our community.
I am still kvelling about the wonderful Jewish Journeys Shabbat service last Saturday morning, when our community, including students, their parents, grandparents, and other congregants, gathered in our sanctuary to celebrate Shabbat together in song and prayer. Students’ work from their elective classes was featured, and the D’var Torah was given by one of our students. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed a communal potluck kiddush.
December was quite a month! During the week of Chanukah, we hosted and participated in a wonderful series of programs to celebrate the holiday.
Thanks to all who attended the Annual Meeting a few weeks ago and approved the slate of Officers and Directors, as well as the proposed Bylaw changes. And welcome to Wendy Penner, who has officially joined the CBI Board! We had over 30 people in attendance, both in person and on Zoom.
I write to you with a heavy heart, trying to process news about the war in Israel and the Middle East, and rising antisemitism in the US and even in our area. It is a tough time to be a Jewish leader, parent, or grandparent. And yet, I feel solace in knowing that CBI is here for us.
I am writing to you in the afterglow of the High Holy Days. I hope that you were able to join us for some or all of our services and that you found them as meaningful and inspirational as I did. It is a joy to be able to worship together in person, and also to be able to gather virtually as a larger community.
We are pleased to announce the launch of our new CBI after-school program, renamed Jewish Journeys, for children in grades K–7 beginning on Monday, September 11. Jewish Journeys is the outgrowth of a year of collaboration among CBI and NEFESH, which is a burgeoning group of Jewish families in Southern Vermont and Western Massachusetts run by Shira Sternberg Kol and Rabbi Jarah Greenfield.
My heart keeps breaking at the news emerging from the Supreme Court.
We knew that the end of Roe was coming. It’s still a shock to the system, and portends a tremendous amount of suffering to come. Countless people will suffer and die because of today’s ruling, and we know that the consequences will be most dire for people of color and for those without the fiscal resources to travel to “safe” states where abortion is available.
Dear Congregation Beth Israel of the northern Berkshires, Temple Beth-El of City Island, and Hebrew Congregation of Somers,
This year our three communities will join together to celebrate Tu BiShvat, the first step on the journey toward spring. Our Zoom seder (4pm, Sunday 1/31) will take us through the four seasons and the Four Worlds, experienced through the theme of hitkashrut, interconnection. Maybe you know that trees are interconnected in a “wood wide web,” not unlike the world wide web that allows us to connect now during pandemic times. We’ll look to the natural world for inspiration and connectedness: with each other, with our traditions, and with our Source.
| Please RSVP to your rabbi by January 28 so we have an idea of who’s coming and can give a list to the Zoom Angels who will be watching the door / letting people in. |
Share an offering
We’re hoping to incorporate, into our Zoom seder slides, short video clips of the trees and/or the woods and/or the mountains and/or the ocean — the landscapes where each of our communities take root. You are invited to make a short video (ten seconds or so) of the natural world where you are, and share it by January 27 by uploading it to this google drive folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IPHmcKhmkcOmuKk_6nHixXd3zMQZlBXK
Seder supplies
Here’s a short list of items to have on hand if you can:
And if you can’t find those things, or don’t have them, don’t worry: we’ll provide a path into this experience even without the tangible / taste-able items.
How to join
Please RSVP to your rabbi by January 28 so we have an idea of who’s coming and can give a list to the Zoom Angels who will be watching the door / letting people in. A secure Zoom link will be sent to everyone who registers.
We look so forward to being with you on Zoom soon as we celebrate and welcome the coming spring.
With blessings of connectedness —
Rabbi Rachel, Rabbi David, and Rabbi Shoshana
PS: CBI folks, please also join us for our socially distanced Tu BiShvat winter walk up Stone Hill at 10am on Saturday morning, January 30 — read more here!
