Congregation Beth Israel

Congregation Beth Israel

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Study & Learn

Current Study & Learn Options Torah Study Every Saturday at 9:30am *In P

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Celebrate Shabbat

Our spiritual life centers on Shabbat, the weekly Sabbath celebration. Everyone is welcome

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High Holy Days

Join us for Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur. All are welcome, bring friends and family! KOL NI

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Events Calendar

Upcoming Events

Registrations and Signups

Adult Ed on Oct. 6: Women as Ritual Experts in Ancient Israel

Click HERE to register.

Brotherhood's Beef & Brew on Oct. 11

Click HERE to register

Kol Shabbat Community Dinner on Oct. 14

Click HERE to register and make payment

CBI's Family Shabbaton! Oct 28-30th

Click HERE to register.

Celebrating Rabbi Pincus' 18th Year at Beth Israel on Nov. 5th

Please click HERE to RSVP to the Celebration for Rabbi Pincus

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A progressive, welcoming Reform Jewish community in West Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1863.

Join us next Thursday, Oct. 6th at 8:30pm for a fa

Join us next Thursday, Oct. 6th at 8:30pm for a fascinating program, “Women as Ritual Experts in Ancient Israel”. Carol Meyers, Mary Grace Wilson Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, Duke University, will discuss the most important religious figures in ancient Israel. This program is virtual only. Register at cbict.org/calendar or click here: https://tinyurl.com/4y3a4p23

Who were the most important religious figures in ancient Israel? Most people would probably say that the priests were. But they would be wrong. The main arena of religious life for most people in the biblical period was not the Jerusalem temple nor a regional shrine. Rather, it was the family household, and women were major figures in household religious activities. Those activities are largely invisible in the Bible with its focus on the priesthood and sacrifice. However, archaeological materials—and some fascinating ethnographic data—can reveal many aspects of women’s household religious culture and its meaning for the lives of ordinary ancient Israelites.

Join Congregation Beth Israel in Elizabeth Park to

Join Congregation Beth Israel in Elizabeth Park to celebrate Rosh Hashanah this Sunday, September 25th at 5:30pm!
We'll mark the start of this holiday with a family-friendly, outdoor service. It is free and open to the public. “Rosh Hashanah in the Park” has become a popular annual event, attracting hundreds of guests from the West Hartford Jewish community and beyond. Rosh Hashanah is Hebrew for “head of the year,” and marks the new year according to the Hebrew calendar. One of the Jewish “High Holy Days”, Rosh Hashanah includes joyful celebration. The sounding of the shofar, a bugle-like instrument made from a ram’s horn, announces the beginning of the “Days of Awe” between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The Rosh Hashanah in the Park service will be led by Congregation Beth Israel’s rabbis, Michael Pincus and Andi Fliegel, and features lively participatory music with guitar. ASL interpretation provided. In case of inclement weather, this service will move to the synagogue. For more information, please visit www.cbict.org.

Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, September 21 at 6pm f

Join us tomorrow, Wednesday, September 21 at 6pm for an informal service with Deborah Savage. It is a great way to mark the end of your day in a quiet space of prayer, reflection, contemplation and remembrance. We hope to see you.

Join us tomorrow for a great program, Thursday, 9/

Join us tomorrow for a great program, Thursday, 9/15 at 8:30pm: "In Search of Ancient Israel: Historical Roots of the Biblical Narrative” with Professor Gary Rendsburg. This program is virtual. Click here to register: https://tinyurl.com/43r6skbr
A century and a half of archaeological exploration in Egypt and Israel has revealed more and more information about the origins of ancient Israel. Key elements include: the word ‘Israel’ inscribed on the Merneptah Stele (c. 1210 B.C.E.); an Egyptian papyrus which refers to nomads from southern Canaan settling in the city of Pithom to escape famine in their land; small settlements in the central hill country of Canaan with a striking lack of pig bones; and much more. Join us as Professor Rendsburg weaves all of this documentation together, along with the relevant Biblical texts, in an effort to reconstruct earliest Israel in the historical and archaeological record.
Gary A. Rendsburg serves as the Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair in Jewish History and holds the rank of Distinguished Professor in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University, New Jersey, U.S.A. His teaching and research focus on ‘all things ancient Israel’ – primarily language and literature, though also history and archaeology. His secondary interests include ancient Egypt, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Hebrew manuscript tradition. Prof. Rendsburg is the author of seven books and about 200 articles. His most recent book is How the Bible Is Written (Hendrickson, 2019), with particular attention to the use of language to create literature. In addition, he has produced two series for the Great Courses program, one on ‘The Book of Genesis’ and one on ‘The Dead Sea Scrolls’.

Join us for a great program next Thursday, 9/15 at

Join us for a great program next Thursday, 9/15 at 8:30pm: "In Search of Ancient Israel: Historical Roots of the Biblical Narrative” with Professor Gary Rendsburg. This program is virtual. Click here to register: https://tinyurl.com/43r6skbr
A century and a half of archaeological exploration in Egypt and Israel has revealed more and more information about the origins of ancient Israel. Key elements include: the word ‘Israel’ inscribed on the Merneptah Stele (c. 1210 B.C.E.); an Egyptian papyrus which refers to nomads from southern Canaan settling in the city of Pithom to escape famine in their land; small settlements in the central hill country of Canaan with a striking lack of pig bones; and much more. Join us as Professor Rendsburg weaves all of this documentation together, along with the relevant Biblical texts, in an effort to reconstruct earliest Israel in the historical and archaeological record.
Gary A. Rendsburg serves as the Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair in Jewish History and holds the rank of Distinguished Professor in the Department of Jewish Studies at Rutgers University, New Jersey, U.S.A. His teaching and research focus on ‘all things ancient Israel’ – primarily language and literature, though also history and archaeology. His secondary interests include ancient Egypt, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Hebrew manuscript tradition. Prof. Rendsburg is the author of seven books and about 200 articles. His most recent book is How the Bible Is Written (Hendrickson, 2019), with particular attention to the use of language to create literature. In addition, he has produced two series for the Great Courses program, one on ‘The Book of Genesis’ and one on ‘The Dead Sea Scrolls’.

Thank you to all who came out for CELEBRATE CBI! l

Thank you to all who came out for CELEBRATE CBI! last week! We had a wonderful turnout, beautiful weather, great food, fun games and fabulous music! We were so happy to spend time together and look forward to seeing you all at our upcoming events 🤩Check out cbict.org/calendar for a complete list of all the terrific things happening at CBI! Come Be Inspired

Our first Lay Led Minyan this fall is tomorrow, We

Our first Lay Led Minyan this fall is tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 7th at 6pm. Join us for this informal evening service with Deborah Savage. It is a great way to mark the end of your day in a quiet space of prayer, reflection, contemplation and remembrance.

Join us at CBI for Tot Shabbat this Saturday, Sept

Join us at CBI for Tot Shabbat this Saturday, September 3rd at 10:30am. We'll sing and dance our way through Shabbat together! RSVPs encouraged to mmeyer@cbict.org

Join us Tuesday, September 6 at 8m for a virtual p

Join us Tuesday, September 6 at 8m for a virtual program with Dr. Joseph G. Rosenstein: “Reflections on Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers): Not Just What My Rebbe Taught Me”.

Pirkei Avot is a rabbinic collection of teachings that deal with ethics, Using examples from his new book, Pirkei Avot (Ethics of Our Fathers): Not Just What My Rebbe Taught Me, Dr. Rosenstein will show how understanding the collection’s historical context can help us identify those broader questions and apply them to current concerns. Click this link to register: https://tinyurl.com/mvm98f5s

See you TONIGHT for for food, fun and music at CBI

See you TONIGHT for for food, fun and music at CBI 🤩 All festivities are located in CBI's back parking lot. This event is free and open to the public, bring your friends! See you soon!

Join us for food, fun and music tomorrow, Septembe

Join us for food, fun and music tomorrow, September 1st at 6:00pm! Enjoy food from TOASTED and treats from Mr. Softee Ice Cream. We'll have a professional face-painter, games and musical entertainment provided by BOPPERS 🤩 This event is free and open to the public. Bring your friends! All festivities are located in CBI's back parking lot. See you soon!

One week from today! Join us for some fun 🤩 Com

One week from today! Join us for some fun 🤩 Come to CELEBRATE CBI on Thursday, September 1st at 6pm right at CBI (701 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford). This event is free and open to the public, bring your friends! You can chat with our clergy, engage with members of our community, and learn about all that CBI has to offer. We'll have the food truck TOASTED, Mr. Softee Ice Cream, a professional face-painter, games and more. Plus BOPPERS providing music and entertainment! More info can be found on our website at cbict.org, or if you have questions call 860-233-8215 or email bethisrael@cbict.org.

Join us for some fun 🤩 Come to CELEBRATE CBI on

Join us for some fun 🤩 Come to CELEBRATE CBI on Thursday, September 1st at 6pm right at CBI (701 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford). This event is free and open to the public, bring your friends! You can chat with our clergy, engage with members of our community, and learn about all that CBI has to offer. We'll have the food truck TOASTED, Mr. Softee Ice Cream, a professional face-painter, games and more. Plus BOPPERS providing music and entertainment! More info can be found on our website at cbict.org, or if you have questions call 860-233-8215 or email bethisrael@cbict.org.

Join us at CBI this Saturday, August 20th at 10:30

Join us at CBI this Saturday, August 20th at 10:30am for Tot Shabbat! RSVPs encouraged to mmeyer@cbict.org. We look forward to seeing you!

Join our YEP Program this fall! CBI's Youth Engage

Join our YEP Program this fall! CBI's Youth Engagement Program (YEP) offers:
😀Classes for children in grades PK through 7
😀Individualized remote or in-person Hebrew instruction. Every student has his/her own teacher and progresses at the pace that is right for them!
😀Classes take place at the synagogue ONLY on Sunday mornings. No need to rush home from work or hire a driver to get your child to classes during the week!
😀Weekly club-style enrichment program, opportunity to participate in activities like cooking, music, art, Israeli dance and much more!
😀Monthly youth group style programming. Participants can come for dinner, a fun activity and the opportunity to socialize with their friends
Find out more at cbict.org!

Bring your dog and join us for a walk and a short

Bring your dog and join us for a walk and a short Havdalah service at the MDC reservoir (1420 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford). This fun activity is open to all; dogs are not required for participation. We'll meet on the far end of the parking lot where the walking path starts by the little bridge. **Watch the website calendar for a cancellation notice due to weather.** RSVP to mmeyer@cbict.org.

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