Dear Congregants and Friends,

As summer approaches and we look back at the year, it has been a very busy and exciting time at CBI. We are pleased that we’ve been able to bring back many in-person activities, including kiddushes after services, an in-person Community Seder, and much more. Just a few weeks ago I attended the first Kabbalat Shabbat service featuring our newly formed band and choir. It was a wonderful and inspiring service, enlivened by the participation of these dedicated musicians. I hope you will join us at upcoming Kabbalat Shabbat services (usually one Friday evening a month) and other occasions when the band and choir perform.

I want to cordially invite you to “Shabbat Across the Berkshires,” which will be held at CBI on Friday, June 16 at 6pm, where we will welcome the Jewish community from across the Berkshires, along with other area Rabbis, who will join our own Rabbi Rachel on the pulpit. Our choir and band, led by Choir Director Adam Green, will lead us in song. CBI will host a kiddush following for service to enable us to enjoy each other’s company as we welcome Shabbat together.

We closed the school year with a wonderful celebration of Shavuot for our final day of school. I would like to thank our teachers for a great year — Rabbi Rachel, Jane Shiyah, and Emily Axelrod, as well as Rabbi Jarah Greenfield, who helped individualize Hebrew instruction for our students and volunteered her time to help the program run smoothly. Information on next year’s new and innovative school program will be available soon.

If you’d like to become more involved at CBI, we are looking for additional people to join our Board of Directors. I welcome your calls to talk about your interests and what role would be a good fit for you.

Warmly,

— Natalie Matus