Dear friends, 

No, the picture above is not one that we photographed but it is a representation of the beautiful bounty of the earth that we are all so privileged to be able to partake in.

Fruit, in general, is sweet, luscious, plump, decadent, (and healthy and full of vitamins), and indicates the gifts that Mother Nature/God provides for us.

But we don't always remember that when we bite into a delicious, say, apple or peach.

But once a year Judaism specifically celebrates the Tree and, by extension, all of the gifts that Earth gives us to remind us that we should be more intentional when we indulge in these beautiful, natural treasures.

To that end, the holiday of Tu Bishvat, which is coming up this month, is referred to as the New Year for Trees, and which has come to be a holiday that celebrates Earth and its gifts.

We, at CBI, will be celebrating this beautiful holiday by having a Tu Bishvat Seder, that is, sitting together as a community and celebrating the seven fruits with which Israel biblically was blessed—and some other fruits as well.

We will share our thoughts about what the Earth and Trees mean to us, especially in this era of global warming and climate crisis.

So please, if you can, attend on Shabbat, February 4, when the Seder will take place at the kiddush after the service (see flyer below).

We look forward to seeing you there.

The CBI Scoop Editorial Team 

Dear friends,

In January 2020, I was in Denver for a rabbinical conference where I met colleagues, gleaned ideas, and connected with a host of like-minded rabbis. Little did I know then that that conference would not happen for another 3 years, the one from which I just returned and had a great experience, similar to the one in 2020, but, really, oh so different. 

In all honesty, I feel like I am a different person than I was then. 

Over the past three years, we, and the entire world, have undergone an entire transformation the parts of which we are still discovering. 

 And yet, despite all the changes, there are some things that didn’t—and don’t—change.

Like the fact that we all need a good community to live a more meaningful life. Like the fact that we all crave a certain amount of spirituality that can be found in the community. Like the fact that praying and singing with--and in--a group of fellow human beings does wonders for the soul. That continuing education throughout one’s adult life is good for the brain and the soul.  Those facts are pretty much incontrovertible.

And as we forge on into the new year we, at CBI, are continuing to bring those values into our post-Covid lives. We will make our community stronger, we will be there to support each other, we will pray together, we will engage in Mitzvot—good deeds together, and we will learn and educate ourselves together.

Yes, Covid changed us in many ways, but it did not change the core or ourselves. If anything, it made us more determined than ever to continue growing.

Please join us each week on Shabbat, and on Feb 4th for the Tu Bishvat Seder, where we will celebrate the Tree and the fruit that it bears for us, as well as the ecology of the world.

We are here to make the world a better place, starting with our small community.

I hope to see you soon.

Warmly,

Rabbi Abe