From The Rabbi

Ready to Receive: Bamidbar 2023 / 5783

divrei Torah, Shavuot

"'And God spoke to Moshe in the wilderness of Sinai,' -- the place of revelation; 'in the ohel mo'ed,' -- both the tent of community meeting, and a sacred fixed point in time. That's where this verse places us: in the wilderness, in the middle of nowhere -- which is where God speaks (or maybe where we hear), where we're receptive as satellite dishes, at the nexus of holy space and holy time..."

“Love the stranger…”

From The Rabbi, tikkun olam

"...A northern Berkshire host team of volunteers has come together to support a young family fleeing from Haiti, a married couple with two young children under the age of three..."

Touching Eternity: Emor 5783. An image of Torah parchment, plus planet Earth, plus a Jewish calendar.

Touching Eternity: Emor 5783 / 2023

"This week's Torah portion, Emor, gives us a roadmap for the spiritual flow of the Jewish year...."

Caring for Our Earth

From The President, From The Rabbi, pollinator garden, tikkun olam

"...Wise and compassionate stewardship of our land has been a Jewish value ever since the Garden of Eden. In this era of climate crisis, it’s important to care not only for our grounds, but also for the local ecosystem of which we are a part. Here at CBI we’re doing a few different things to live out this Jewish value..."

Guest Post: Finding Freedom and Hope in a Time of New Beginnings

divrei Torah, Pesach

This guest post is the D’var Torah that CBI member and cantorial soloist Ziva Larson offered at Shabbat and Pesach Morning Services on Saturday, April 8, 2023.

Take a Lamb: Shabbat HaGadol 5783

divrei Torah, Pesach, Uncategorized

"...Granted, change may not be easy. Our spiritual ancestors went from Pharaoh's frying pan into the fire of forty years of wilderness wandering. But the fact of a new path is hopeful even if the path is hard. Because nihilism and despair and paralysis say: nothing's ever going to be different. What's broken will always be broken and can never be mended, so it isn't worth even trying. But it is worth trying..."

Hate Has No Home Here

community, From The Rabbi

"...If we’re feeling uncertain about how we’re going to get to a better place than this, we’re in synch with our ancient spiritual calendar. The story of the Exodus is one of venturing into the unknown. It’s a story of stepping into the sea, not knowing whether or how the waters would part. I take heart in remembering that now, as then, we don’t have to cross the sea alone...."

To Be In Community: Vayakhel-Pekudei 5783 / 2023

divrei Torah, lgbt rights

"...Those who seek to take away rights tend not to stop after taking rights or self-determination away from a single group..."

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Absence and Presence: Tetzaveh and Shabbat Zachor 5783 / 2023

Adar, divrei Torah, Purim

Who's named and who's not, what it means to remember (and forget) Amalek, and what this week's Torah portion and Purim ask of us.

From the Rabbi Column – March 2023

From The Rabbi, Newsletter

Rabbi Rachel's March newsletter column -- about Purim, and how our actions reflect us, and good things coming.

Constructing Sacred Boundaries: An Exploration of the Enclosure Around the Mishkan

Guest Post: “Constructing Sacred Boundaries: An Exploration of the Enclosure Around the Mishkan”

contemplative practice, D'vrei Torah, divrei Torah, From The Rabbi, guest posts

This guest post is the D’var Torah that CBI member and cantorial soloist Ziva Larson offered at Shabbat Morning Services on Saturday, February 25, 2023.

(Reproductive) Justice and the Dream of Sky: Mishpatim 5783 / 2023

divrei Torah, social action

"...Reproductive justice is a much broader framework than simply 'the right to choose,; or even the right to choose plus access to safe reliable healthcare. It’s about everything: access to food, affordable shelter, education, ending carceral foster care, ending gun violence, and more. All of these are part of what it would really look like to rear children in a just world...."

A Song For Those Coming Through the Sea

divrei Torah, Jewish values, tikkun olam

"..Our ancient spiritual ancestors couldn’t sing the Song until they felt emunah in their bones. And they couldn’t feel emunah in their bones until they stepped into the sea. Which means they had to step into the sea before they felt ready. They had to take the plunge without knowing for sure what lay ahead and whether or not the water would part. On a smaller scale, we all have moments like that, on the cusp of change: marriage or divorce, birth or death, choosing a new beginning. There’s a moment when we have to decide to just – step into the sea, ready or not...."

Opening Heart and Soul: Vaera 5783