Join us for Shabbat Services: Friday at 6:00 pm, Saturday at 9:30 am
An egalitarian Conservative congregation serving the diverse Orange County Jewish Community

Welcome to Congregation B’nai Israel! We are delighted that you are considering joining our village.

We are an inclusive and family-friendly community, welcoming members at all levels of religious observance, those born Jewish, those who have chosen Judaism, and interfaith families. Our diverse, multi-generational congregation welcomes people of all ages, racial and ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those at any point on their Jewish journey.

Belonging to the community means taking an active role in shaping our future and demonstrating your commitment to helping Judaism to flourish in OC and beyond. In addition, members access clergy support throughout life’s ups and downs, Jewish education for children – from preschoolers to teens – participation in High Holy Day services and events year-round, and a precious and priceless sense of belonging and home.

We look forward to having you as a member of our congregation!

To learn more, please see our list of contacts. To schedule a conversation, please contact the office at cbi18@cbi18.org or (714) 730-9693. We look forward to welcoming you.

We also invite you to join us for upcoming events. Information is shared in our weekly e-newsletters. To receive updates: sign up here.

Click here for our new member information form.

July 2023 – June 2024 – Click here for our membership payment form

Family Category
(please note that financial assistance is available to those with need)
Donation Amount
Couple (ages 36-67)$3,550
Single (ages 36-67)$1,950
Senior Couple (age 68+)$2,100
Senior Single (age 68+)$1,250
Young Couple (ages 35 and younger)$600
Young Single (ages 35 and younger)$330
Sharon” Families (Building Maintenance)$525
“Friend of CBI” (associate membership for those outside our area, does not include High Holiday tickets)$360
Benefactor Membership: Platinum Chai Honors Circle*$18,000
Benefactor Membership: Golden Chai Honors Circle*$11,000
Benefactor Membership: Silver Chai Honors Circle*$8,000
Benefactor Membership: Bronze Chai Honors Circle*$6,000
Benefactor Membership: Copper Chai Honors Circle*$4,500
*Honors Circle membership is accompanied by event tickets and sponsorships throughout the year.
Specific details can be found within the membership forms and documents.

Membership at CBI includes many wonderful benefits including:

  • Belonging to a community with people to share life’s joys and ease life’s sorrows.
  • Our Rabbi, Cantor, and staff are there for you through important life cycle events and every day for counseling, teaching and care.
  • Opportunities for Jewish education for children, including B’nai Mitzvah training, and continuing education for adults.
  • Priority enrollment and reduced fees at our preschool.
  • High Holy Day tickets (unless otherwise noted)
  • Opportunities to live your Jewish values by caring for others in need.
  • Leadership opportunities to become a board or committee member, or to lead worship services.
  • A varied and rich offering of events, programming and classes to enrich and engage.
  • The ability to secure a place in CBI’s section at Harbor Lawn cemetery.

Torah: Ha’Azinu

Ha’Azinu: Our Torah reading begins, “Give ear, O heavens, let me speak; Let the earth hear the words that I utter!” The reference to the heavens and earth listening are only metaphors. Paganism believed that nature in all its parts was alive. Spirits possessed trees and lakes and the sky. Those spirits were fickle and demanded bribes. Priests offered incantations to those unpredictable…

Small Groups Launch Tonight

Dear Friends, Tonight is the launch of CBI’s small groups 5777: “Living a Life of Significance: Why Judaism Matters.” We ordered more copies of the booklet after running out of the 350 original. Please pick up a copy tonight if you have not yet done so. You may also access the material geared to group…

Torah: Va’Yeilekh

Va’Yeilekh: God’s final command to Moses, as conveyed in this week’s parashah, is “Write a [farewell] song to the people” (Deuteronomy 31:19). Songs are poems put to music. They have added power because music evokes and amplifies emotion. It also allows us to memorize. Hence, we learn the a,b,c’s and the aleph bet with a melody. Likewise, the power of Kol Nidre, which we…

L’shanah tovah from CBI!

L’shanah tovah u’metukah– May you be blessed with a good and sweet new year! The rabbis explain that what is good may emerge from struggle and even pain. In looking forward we pray that the new year will allow that goodness to emerge from ease and joy. From my family and me to you: Blessings…

Torah: Nitzavim

L’shanah tovah u’metukah– May you be blessed with a good and sweet new year! The rabbis explain that what is good may emerge from struggle and even pain. In looking forward we pray that the new year will allow that goodness to emerge from ease and joy. From my family and me to you: Blessings of a 5777 of health, abundant harvest,…

An Israel Travel Adventure: 2017

An Israel Travel Adventure: Touching the Spirit & Soul of Israel, 2.0 October 15 – 27, 2017 Sponsored by: Community Scholar Program, Congregation B’nai Israel & Temple Beth El of South Orange County Itinerary crafted by Arie Katz, Rabbi Elie Spitz and Rabbi Kvod Wieder Travel company – Makor Educational Journey – http://www.makorjourneys.com/about Sign up…

Torah: Ki Tavo

Ki Tavo: “And it shall be that when you come into the land which the Ever-Present-One your God is giving you as a heritage and you possess and settle in it, you shall take some of the first fruit…” In the Torah, that act of gratitude is coupled with specific words for the pilgrim, words that we echo in the telling of…

Sunday night goes on: Review, articles, and the video from the Peter Beinart and Daniel Gordis debate

Dear Friends, CBI was at its best this past Sunday night, enabling an illuminating and at times heated conversation between two leading Jewish thinkers on the nature of Zionism and Jewish belonging. As you will see from selected emails below, the audience ranged in its political orientation and yet, consistently expressed gratitude for the level…