Be a part of our Social Justice Team! All are invited to join meetings at CBI, they are posted on our public calendar and in our weekly e-newsletter Chai Lights, visit www.cbict.org/calendar for updates. For questions or to learn more, please email co-chairs Bob Blitzer and Judy Levy.
Volunteer with CT Foodshare’s Mobile Truck @ CBI
Fridays at 1pm
November 13 & December 11
Volunteer Opportunity (offsite)
Thursday, November 19 at 10am
Help Jewish Family Services prepare for their annual Thanksgiving distribution! Help pack food and supplies for families. Contact congregant Sherry Feinglass to sign-up to help at eddie2cook@icloud.com.
Cook for Loaves & Fishes
Once a month we cook a meal in our kitchen for Loaves & Fishes. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact congregant Pat Pierce at bookfanpat@gmail.com.
Sisterhood Knitters
Sundays at 9:30am
November 15 & December 20
We meet once a month to knit and kibbitz. You don’t need to know how to knit, we’ll happily teach you, nor do you have to have supplies because we provide them. Our mission has been two-fold, to teach others to knit and to do Tikun Olam. Questions? Contact congregant Sue DeMartino at suedemartino@comcast.net.
In September 2026, SAGE volunteered with the JFS’ Spice Project at CBI, packing delicious spices for food pantry clients. Thank you to Laura Miacola for visiting us and sharing more about JFS!
Our amazing CBI volunteers volunteering at Gifts of Love and Jewish Family Services in spring of 2026.
The CBI Social Justice Committee recently hosted Jason Jakubowski, CT Foodshare’s CEO and President, at CBI to discuss the issue of food insecurity. He emphasized that food insecurity is a chronic problem, and the federal government’s recent policies have exponentially complicated supporting the needy in our country. Jason felt there were two important issues that would help the most for those food needy individuals:
GHIAA (Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance) was founded in 2019 and CBI was one of the founding congregations. Now, together with over 50 faith institutions, we organize for justice in the Greater Hartford region. This year’s issues include housing affordability, the state fiscal policy, and combatting religious and racial hate. For more information about GHIAA, contact Judy Levy: judyglevy@gmail.com, 860-924-8748 and Sue Fulleton: suef4940@gmail.com, 860-810-0027, GHIAA CBI Core Team Co-Chairs.
For families and individuals experiencing stress, mental health or substance use crisis, CBI’s MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION INITIATIVE (MHAI) is here to help connect you to resources and offer pastoral support. Please contact: Rabbi Andi Fliegel at afliegel@cbict.org or 860-233-8215, Rabbi Michael Pincus at rabbipincus@gmail.com or 860-233-8215, Steve Madonick, MHAI Chair, at smadonick46@gmail.com or 860-523-8711.
From CBI’s Mental Health and Addiction Initiative:
Since October 7, we have all witnessed, via the media, mass murder and atrocities in Southern Israel that are reminiscent of some of the darkest periods in Jewish history. As we seek out ways to make an impact, we also need to protect our own mental health and our capacity to function. Please see below for additional articles to help:
War’s enduring legacy: How does trauma haunt future generations? https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma/trauma-survivors-generations
How to cope with traumatic stress
https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma/stress
Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children
https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience/kids-war
