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Congregation Beth Israel
53 Lois Street
North Adams, MA 01247
1-413-663-5830
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Wrestle and stretch – a d’varling for Vayishlach
Divrei Torah, PandemicThis week’s Torah portion, Vayishlach, contains the story from which our people takes its name. Jacob is on his way to meet up with his brother Esau for the first […]
Integrity and becoming – a d’varling for Toldot
Divrei TorahOur Torah stories are the same every year. But as we change and grow, we find new ideas and understandings in the same old stories. In the verses from Toldot […]
Go – a d’varling for Lech-Lecha
Divrei Torahוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃ Lech-lecha / go forth from your native land and from your father’s house to the land that I will […]
The Strength to See What Isn’t Yet
Days of Awe, SermonsEarlier this summer, I copied down a Chinese proverb, though an internet search suggests that this many not actually come to us from China after all! But the words resonate […]
The Strength to Go Gentle
Days of Awe, Pandemic, Sermons, Yom KippurDid you know that Shakespeare wrote King Lear while quarantining for possible exposure to the Bubonic plague? Possibly also Macbeth and Antony and Cleopatra. I assume all of us wrote […]
Rejoice in the CBI Sukkah!
SukkotDear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends, Four days after Yom Kippur we enter the festival of Sukkot. (Deep thanks to Jen Burt and family for once again building and […]
Preparing for This Yom Kippur
Days of Awe, Yom KippurDear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends, It was a joy to be with so many of you during Rosh Hashanah. I hope that you are finding meaning in these […]
When We See Each Other: a d’varling for Shabbat Shuvah
Community, Days of AweOrdinarily on Shabbat Shuvah I would talk about teshuvah, return — turning our lives around, returning to our Source and to our highest selves. This is, after all, the work […]
Help CBI Feed the Hungry
Community, Days of Awe, Social Action, Tikkun OlamDear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends, During the Days of Awe, many synagogues hold food drives for dried and canned foods. We have done this for many years at […]
The Strength to Discern
Days of Awe, Divrei Torah, Pandemic, SermonsOn Sunday evening I offered a tiny pearl of introduction to this year’s high holiday theme of gevurah. Yesterday morning we talked about the strength it takes to help each other […]
The Strength to Help Each Other Hope
Days of Awe, Sermons(Note: the first part of this sermon is adapted from an article that JTA asked me to write. Then it goes off into new territory — expanding and completing the […]
A Year of Strength
Days of AweEach year I choose a theme for the Days of Awe at CBI. Some months ago I chose the theme of gevurah, which means strength, power, heroism, courage, boundaries, determination. […]
Help CBI thrive
Community, Days of Awe, PandemicDear Congregation Beth Israel members and friends, It scarcely seems possible, but the Days of Awe are right around the corner. On August 28 we’ll officially enter into the high […]
Update from the CBI Board about the Days of Awe
Community, Days of Awe, PandemicDear Congregation Beth Israel Members and Friends, The CBI Board and Rabbi just met to discuss current COVID rates in our constituent towns and across the county, and to re-evaluate […]
Getting closer…
Days of AweDear Congregation Beth iIsrael members and friends, The moon of Elul is waxing. In a short two and a half weeks we’ll celebrate Rosh Hashanah. The Days of Awe are […]