From The Co-Presidents

Dear CBI Community,

We have been scattered to the winds – Natalie & Roger to Hong Kong to visit their daughter and family, and Wendy to Florida for her mom’s milestone birthday. Together we are now anchored back in the Berkshires where everything is springing to life – and where our CBI community is blossoming with new energy.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we began our term as co-presidents, but it’s true! Our Annual Meeting is coming soon on the evening of Wednesday, May 27. We’ll start with social time and refreshments at 7pm, with the business part of the meeting starting at 7:30pm. We encourage you all to attend to hear highlights of the past year, the budget for FY27, vote on our slate of board members and officers, and bless our decision to continue for another term as co-presidents. We take on this sacred obligation knowing we can only continue this work with your dedication to the success of our shared work at CBI – please commit to that by attending the Annual Meeting.

We are beyond excited and relieved to report that this month (hopefully in advance of the annual meeting) we are anticipating the installation of our new HVAC system, and new fences around the exterior units. This is made possible thanks to the generous donations we are continuing to receive – we’ve thus far received almost $61,000 towards our goal of $100,000. If you haven’t yet had a chance to donate, please make every effort to do so now, and receive public acknowledgement along with our other donors.

CBI is now in receipt of the funds we were awarded through a state nonprofit security grant! This will allow us to make a variety of security improvements throughout the building, and most visibly, to install security bollards in the front of our building. There will be a lot of activity in the next three months as security enhancements are made, and we will keep you apprised of the progress. Many thanks to Natalie & Roger, to Joe Apkin for leading our building committee, and Oliver our office administrator, for all the time, thought, and legwork to support this complex and coordinated effort.

We welcome two new member families – Daisy Fischer & Jason Touhey and Megan & James Dopson, both with their children, whose children attend our Jewish Journeys educational program.

We hope to see many of you at the Jewish Journeys Shabbat and potluck kiddush this Saturday at 10am. Please join to celebrate Shabbat, and our wonderful students, teachers and CBI families. Don’t forget to RSVP!

B’Shalom,

— Natalie Matus & Wendy Penner