We hope you enjoyed a beautiful high holiday observance. We were delighted to welcome many of you into our overflowing sanctuary to worship together, share special holiday treats on Rosh Hashana, break-the-fast on Yom Kippur, and enjoy a community potluck in our beautiful sukkah.
We send warm greetings to the CBI community as we enter this sacred season of the High Holy Days. Our devoted rabbis and choir have been working with care to ensure that our services are both meaningful and uplifting, and we look forward to gathering with you to worship and for our community Break-the-Fast.
The summer is zipping by, as it always seems to do. We hope you are enjoying all that the Berkshires have to offer. Our rabbis and lay leaders have been busy planning for the upcoming year and have some exciting ideas for the coming year.
Here we are-happy summer! I write to you for the first time in my new role as CBI co-President with Natalie Matus who has served our community so beautifully for 5 years. I have witnessed firsthand her dedication, commitment, hard work, and passionate support for our community and we are beyond blessed that she found us! I am honored to work alongside her, and our wonderful board members this year, at a time when the need for community, and in particular Jewish community, is so evident.
I am delighted to welcome Wendy Penner as co-president of CBI for the coming year! Wendy has been a true partner over the past year, taking on numerous responsibilities and acting as a valued thought partner. I am so pleased that she has decided to take on the official role of co-president. Together, we look forward to serving the CBI community in the year to come.
Roger and I had the wonderful opportunity a week ago to attend a reception at the Yiddish Book Center for the installation of the 25 foot long House of Israel mural at the main entrance to the Center. This mural is deeply connected with CBI’s history – it was painted by artist Noah Levin above the ark at our predecessor synagogue on Francis Street in North Adams.
It is almost time for Passover, a time when we prepare our homes for the holiday, look forward to gathering with family and friends, and celebrating together as we tell the story of Passover. I am writing to you from Hong Kong, where I am visiting with my family. It is very interesting to celebrate in a country so different in many ways from our own.
After a month away, it is good to be back in the Berkshires. I’d like to share some highlights of the past month and some of the many things we are looking forward to in the next few months.
https://cbiberkshires.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Torah-Restoration-Maintenance-Fund.png533800Natalie Matushttps://cbiberkshires.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CBI-Logo-70h-2.pngNatalie Matus2025-01-12 12:30:002025-01-10 12:30:43Help Us Care For Our Torahs
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.
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.
Greetings from Hong Kong, where I am spending a few weeks visiting with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons. It’s been so much fun celebrating Sukkot and Simchat Torah with our grandsons on the other side of the world.
January 2026 | Tevet / Shevat 5786
Community, Events, From The President, Jewish Holidays, Newsletter, Purim, Tu BiShvat, VolunteeringWith the start of the new secular year of 2026 and the second half of CBI’s year, we are looking both forward and back.
November 2025 | Cheshvan / Kislev 5786
Community, Days of Awe, Events, From The President, Jewish Holidays, NewsletterWe hope you enjoyed a beautiful high holiday observance. We were delighted to welcome many of you into our overflowing sanctuary to worship together, share special holiday treats on Rosh Hashana, break-the-fast on Yom Kippur, and enjoy a community potluck in our beautiful sukkah.
October 2025 | Tishrei / Cheshvan 5786
Cheshvan, Community, Days of Awe, Events, From The President, Jewish Holidays, Newsletter, Rosh Hashanah, Spiritual Life, Tishrei, Volunteering, Yom KippurThis month’s column is a reprint of this year’s Days of Awe co-presidential speeches that were delivered on Rosh Hashanah I & Yom Kippur.
September 2025 | Elul 5785 / Tishrei 5786
Community, Days of Awe, Events, From The President, Jewish Holidays, Newsletter, Sukkot, Volunteering, Yom KippurWe send warm greetings to the CBI community as we enter this sacred season of the High Holy Days. Our devoted rabbis and choir have been working with care to ensure that our services are both meaningful and uplifting, and we look forward to gathering with you to worship and for our community Break-the-Fast.
August 2025 | Av 5785
Community, Events, From The President, Newsletter, VolunteeringThe summer is zipping by, as it always seems to do. We hope you are enjoying all that the Berkshires have to offer. Our rabbis and lay leaders have been busy planning for the upcoming year and have some exciting ideas for the coming year.
July 2025 | Tammuz 5785
Annual Meeting, Events, From The President, NewsletterHere we are-happy summer! I write to you for the first time in my new role as CBI co-President with Natalie Matus who has served our community so beautifully for 5 years. I have witnessed firsthand her dedication, commitment, hard work, and passionate support for our community and we are beyond blessed that she found us! I am honored to work alongside her, and our wonderful board members this year, at a time when the need for community, and in particular Jewish community, is so evident.
June 2025 | Sivan 5785
Annual Meeting, Events, From The President, NewsletterI am delighted to welcome Wendy Penner as co-president of CBI for the coming year! Wendy has been a true partner over the past year, taking on numerous responsibilities and acting as a valued thought partner. I am so pleased that she has decided to take on the official role of co-president. Together, we look forward to serving the CBI community in the year to come.
May 2025 | Iyar 5785
From The President, NewsletterRoger and I had the wonderful opportunity a week ago to attend a reception at the Yiddish Book Center for the installation of the 25 foot long House of Israel mural at the main entrance to the Center. This mural is deeply connected with CBI’s history – it was painted by artist Noah Levin above the ark at our predecessor synagogue on Francis Street in North Adams.
April 2025 | Nissan 5785
Events, From The President, Newsletter, PesachIt is almost time for Passover, a time when we prepare our homes for the holiday, look forward to gathering with family and friends, and celebrating together as we tell the story of Passover. I am writing to you from Hong Kong, where I am visiting with my family. It is very interesting to celebrate in a country so different in many ways from our own.
March 2025 | Adar 5785
Events, From The President, Newsletter, VolunteeringAfter a month away, it is good to be back in the Berkshires. I’d like to share some highlights of the past month and some of the many things we are looking forward to in the next few months.
February 2025 | Shevat 5785
Community, From The President, Guest Posts, Newsletter, VolunteeringA brief self-introduction by Wendy Penner, CBI’s new 1st Vice President.
Help Us Care For Our Torahs
From The President, Jewish Values, Spiritual Life, VideoWe are writing to share news of our progress on raising funds for CBI’s Torah Restoration & Maintenance Fund as of January 2025.
January 2025 | Tevet 5785
Chanukah, Community, From The President, Newsletter, Tu BiShvat, VolunteeringAs 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.
December 2024 | Kislev 5785
Chanukah, Community, Divrei Torah, Events, From The President, NewsletterSeveral 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.
November 2024 | Cheshvan 5785
Days of Awe, Events, From The President, Newsletter, Spiritual LifeGreetings from Hong Kong, where I am spending a few weeks visiting with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons. It’s been so much fun celebrating Sukkot and Simchat Torah with our grandsons on the other side of the world.