March 11, 2021 This week, as Purim materials were packed away, the teachers began setting up the classrooms for Passover, which arrives early this year, begins on Saturday, March 27th at sundown. Last year, the children learned about and celebrated Passover at home, via Zoom meetings, and we sorely missed being together as a community.…
Our community is made up of many colorful strands, each a “face” enabling a tapestry of belonging. We are excited to bring you the first video in the series, and speaking of faces, you will see many familiar ones in this video! To see all of our Faces of CBI videos click here.
December 21, 2020 Dear Religious School Families, I am thrilled to announce that our beloved CBI Religious School faculty member, MINDY PASKIL, will be honored by the JEWISH EDUCATORS ASSEMBLY on Sunday, January 24, 2021. Mindy has been a dedicated teacher for two generations at CBI. Mindy teaches 6th and 7th graders and tutors many…
Our teens have really risen to the occasion during this strange time. Despite the disappointment many of them feel with events they’ve been looking forward to all year canceled, they’ve pulled together as a team to create incredible distance programming for CBI USY. Our teens are coming to Zoom lounges and finding ways to make a…
Zoom is a free technology for calls & videoconferences. You don’t need a personal Zoom account to use it. Zoom has step-by-step instructions on how to use it here. We will be doing many of our social events and classes by zoom during our coronavirus closing. Zoom Directions: You have lots of options with Zoom. https://zoom.us We…
This moment calls for calm and caution for this moment is dangerous. We are facing an unprecedented challenge in our lifetimes. No other illness has caused so much uncertainty. With a shudder I watch the spread of COVID-19 and feel great concern for those with the coronavirus and for all of us trying to negotiate safely. In such a moment, we are…
This moment calls for calm and caution for this moment is dangerous. We are facing an unprecedented challenge in our lifetimes. No other illness has caused so much uncertainty. With a shudder I watch the spread of COVID-19 and feel great concern for those with the coronavirus and for all of us trying to…
A State Of National Emergency Our country is now in a “State of National Emergency.” In that light, let me follow-up on my email yesterday with some questions and answers. How is COVID-19 different than the flu? First and foremost it is far more deadly. The rate of death from the common…
The sweet smells of challah baking prompts anticipation of Shabbat. The delicious and beautiful braided egg bread sets the meal apart from the rest of the week, as do the candles and the blessings over wine. The recent “Mega-Challah Bake” drew over 1,200 women from our Orange County to our JCC. What a wonderful celebration…
We are naturally drawn to mystery. And there is no greater mystery than uncovering the pulse and purpose of life, which is the essence of Jewish mysticism. And yet, to read the Zohar, the classical mystical commentary to the Torah, is to become aware that illumination, the meaning of the word Zohar, requires patience, imagination…