Friday night: now with potluck!

Dear all,

A brief addendum to the post about this week’s Torah portion, commentaries, and Shabbat plans: on Friday, before our Kabbalat Shabbat (“Welcoming Shabbat”) services, we’ll begin with a potluck dinner.

The potluck dinner will be at 6pm, and the service will follow, probably around 6:40 or so. Please RSVP to the office or to Steven Green, chair of our spiritual life committee (stevengreenlawoffice at gmail dot com), so we know how many chairs and tables to set up.

Blessings,

Rabbi Rachel

Shavua tov! Looking forward to Shabbat Bechukotai.

Shavua tov– a  good week to you! Join us this coming Shabbat for services led by Rabbi Rachel. This Friday (June 3) is a First Friday, so we’ll gather for Kabbalat Shabbat services at 6pm. On Saturday morning we will read from parashat Bechukotai.

If you’d like to read some commentaries on this week’s Torah portion, Behar, some links follow:

• 2008: Either/Or [Torah poem]
• 2012: A Shabbat for the earth
• 2014: On engraved-pathways and connective-commandments
• 2015: God, too, is lonely: a d’var Torah for Behar-Bechukotai

And here’s the URJ’s compilation of commentaries on this week’s Torah portion: Bechukotai at the URJ.

Many thanks to our shamashim, the members who host our Shabbat services each week. If you would like to join that group, please contact the office.

As we move from Pesach to Shavuot, we enter deeper into the journey of counting the Omer — the days which connect our festival of liberation with our festival of revelation.

Don’t forget to register for the Shavuot retreat at Isabella Freedman! As members of an ALEPH Network community we receive a substantial discount; include the registration code VELVETEEN and you’ll get a $150 discount on that retreat.

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel

Shavua tov! Looking forward to Shabbat Behar

Shavua tov– a  good week to you! Join us this coming Shabbat morning for services led by Rabbi Rachel, during which we will call Gabe Schoenbaum to the Torah as a bar mitzvah.

If you’d like to read some commentaries on this week’s Torah portion, Behar, some links follow:

• • 2005: Land, labor, liberty
  • 2006: The importance of tending the earth
  • 2007: Caretaker [Torah poem]
  • 2009: Borrowed [Torah poem]
  • 2014: Creating liberation; Shavuot; and the Jubilee
  • 2015: God, too, is lonely: a d’var Torah for Behar-Bechukotai

And here’s the URJ’s compilation of commentaries on this week’s Torah portion: Behar at the URJ.

Many thanks to our shamashim, the members who host our Shabbat services each week. If you would like to join that group, please contact the office.

 

As we move from Pesach to Shavuot, we enter deeper into the journey of counting the Omer — the days which connect our festival of liberation with our festival of revelation.

Don’t forget to register for the Shavuot retreat at Isabella Freedman! As members of an ALEPH Network community we receive a substantial discount; include the registration code VELVETEEN and you’ll get a $150 discount on that retreat.

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel

Don’t miss Shavuot at Isabella Freedman with Rabbi Rachel

Don’t miss Shavuot at Isabella Freedman! Join the CBI delegation traveling the short distance to this renowned Jewish retreat center in Northern Connecticut for an amazing Shavuot retreat. Use the discount code VELVETEEN at check-out and receive a special $150 discount because you’re a member of an ALEPH Network community.

Read all about it and register now at the Hazon website.

Shavua tov! Looking forward to Shabbat Emor

Shavua tov – a  good week to you! Join us this coming Shabbat morning for services led by Rabbi Lori Shaller. Rabbi Lori writes:

I am looking forward to being back with the CBI community on Shabbat morning, May 21.  I will once again lead a contemplative service with movement.  Please bring your yoga mat if you have one, and wear clothes in which you will be comfortable to move.  If it’s warm enough and people agree, we will pray outdoors.   What you can expect:  freedom to move in any way that makes sense to you and that feels good in your body, plus some suggestions for movement; chant; a contemplative approach to the parshah; Amidah and Mourners Kaddish.  I look forward to praying with you.

If you’d like to read some commentaries on this week’s Torah portion, some links follow:

• 2006: Making our offerings count
• 2007: The bodies we are
• 2008: Shall [Torah poem]
• 2009: Fix [Torah poem]
• 2013: Holy [Torah poem]

And here’s the URJ’s compilation of commentaries on this week’s Torah portion: Emor at the URJ.

Many thanks to our shamashim, the members who host our Shabbat services each week. If you would like to join that group, please contact the office.

As we move from Pesach to Shavuot, we enter deeper into the journey of counting the Omer — the days which connect our festival of liberation with our festival of revelation.

Don’t forget to register for the Shavuot retreat at Isabella Freedman! As members of an ALEPH Network community we receive a substantial discount; include the registration code VELVETEEN and you’ll get a $150 discount on that retreat.

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel

Rabbi Rachel named one of America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis

Each year, the Forward solicits nominations from the public for their Most Inspiring Rabbis list. This year they received 350 nominations, and chose 32 rabbis for this national honor. Our own Rabbi Rachel was one of those 32! Congratulations to Rabbi Rachel.

Read all about it: America’s Most Inspiring Rabbis 2016.

Shavua tov! Looking forward to Shabbat K’doshim.

Shavua tov – a  good week to you! Join us this coming Shabbat morning for services led by Rabbi Pam Wax. This week we’re reading parashat Kedoshim from the book of Vayikra (Leviticus)

If you’d like to read some commentaries on this week’s Torah portion, some links follow:

• 2008: Gevurah [Torah poem]
• 2009: You shall be holy [Torah poem]
• 2010: On holy community
• 2012: On loving our neighbors

And here’s the URJ’s compilation of commentaries on this week’s Torah portion: K’doshim at the URJ.

Many thanks to our shamashim, the members who host our Shabbat services each week. If you would like to join that group, please contact Pattie Lipman.

As we move from Pesach to Shavuot, we enter deeper into the journey of counting the Omer — the days which connect our festival of liberation with our festival of revelation.

Don’t forget to register for the Shavuot retreat at Isabella Freedman! As members of an ALEPH Network community we receive a substantial discount; include the registration code VELVETEEN and you’ll get a $150 discount on that retreat.

Blessings to all,

Rabbi Rachel