Dear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends,

As I write these words we’ve entered the lunar month of Heshvan, during which there are no holidays other than Shabbat.

After the densely-packed spiritual season of the high holidays, Heshvan can feel like an abrupt gearshift. I like how it allows us time to process and integrate everything we experienced over the course of Elul, the Days of Awe, Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, and Simchat Torah. (I’m still sorry we didn’t manage a Simchat Torah celebration this year; it fell too soon after my recent medical adventures. But the holiday season was still pretty rich and full even so.) Are there memories from this year’s holidays that particularly stand out for you? What will you carry with you into the coming winter?

One of the things I’ve been talking about a lot with the Board is how I, and we, can support more connection across the breadth of the CBI community. Some of us are fourth or fifth-generation CBI members, while others are more recent transplants to the area. Some of us grew up Orthodox, some of us grew up Reform. Some of us are Jews by choice. Some of us are Ashkenazi (of Eastern European heritage) and others are Sefardi (with roots in Spain, Morocco, and North Africa). Our diversity within the congregation is a beautiful reflection of Jewish diversity writ large. As rabbi I have the deep pleasure of knowing each of you – and, I know you don’t all know each other. This autumn we’re offering a few different opportunities to get to know each other better.

I’m particularly excited about plans to gather for a potluck Shabbat dinner and a movie at CBI on Friday, November 21. We’ll be watching The Path Forward, a recent documentary made by Mo Husseini and Julie Cohen. (Here’s the trailer.) Here’s how they describe the film:

The Path Forward, directed jointly by a Jewish American filmmaker and a Palestinian American filmmaker, seeks to amplify the voices of Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon, who have both lost family members to the conflict; Sally Abed and Alon Lee Green of the co-existence group Standing Together; and feminist peace activists Yael Braudo-Bahat and Riman Barakat. Interweaving their moving on stage dialogues in the U.S. and Europe with their poignant life stories, this documentary creates a tapestry of voices for peace and reconciliation.

I screened the film earlier this fall with members of the Israel-Palestine Learning Committee, and I found it powerful, moving, and uplifting. I don’t know about y’all, but I’ve definitely been in need of some emotional-spiritual uplift! I’m looking forward to the potluck dinner beforehand as a chance to connect with each other and get to know each other better – and also to the discussion after the film, which I know will be thoughtful and open-hearted, because that’s the kind of community we are. Please know that this event will be onsite only. We’ve made the decision for this screening to prioritize onsite / “in the room” connections.

I’m also really excited about SoulSpa, the new (to us) Torah study series I’m co-teaching over Zoom on Shabbat mornings with my friend R. David Markus of Congregation Shir Ami in Greenwich, CT. (R. David has been teaching SoulSpa for the last several years.) Together we’ll be exploring the weekly Torah portion through the lens of feminist midrash and commentary. Most of the participants will tend to be members of our two synagogues, though the series is open to friends – and I hope you’ll feel free to bring one. Because SoulSpa is on Zoom, participants can join us from wherever they are… and this can be a great introduction to our community. (Several of our members live elsewhere, either part of the year or all year long, and I’m always happy to chat with anyone who’s interested in becoming a member even if they live far away!)

SoulSpa will take place every Shabbat morning at 10am, usually taught by both R. David and me, though sometimes one or the other of us will bow out in order to lead Shabbat morning services.

Please also know that R. Pam Wax will continue to offer a monthly Shabbat morning service at CBI – the next one will be Saturday, November 22. Her leadership is an important part of who we are and what we do. On the weekends when we’re “multiplexing” (e.g. offering more than one thing on Shabbat morning), all are welcome to attend either offering. Keep an eye on our calendar for specifics of what’s happening when.

I look forward to learning with y’all in weeks to come!

Blessings to all for a gentle November,

— Rabbi Rachel