Home

All CBI services and Cultural Programming lectures are streamed on Zoom, with the exception of High Holy Day services that will be live streamed. If you want to be added to our email event list, please email emilie.kovit-meyer@cbirumson.org. You can also see all our programming on Facebook Live - Like us at @CBIRumson.

REOPENING - STAGE ONE:

Starting on Friday, May 21, we will have our first worship service in the Sanctuary (aside from the B’nai Mitzvah we have held over the past year) for CBI MEMBERS ONLY. We will be starting off with Friday night 7:30 pm Kabbalat Shabbat services, as a test, while we smooth out our procedures and new technology setup. Please note that every first Friday of the month we will continue to have Wine and Cheese on Zoom at 6:00 pm. On those days Rabbi will be holding the usual First Fridays early service starting at 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary. Those (members) who can attend in the Sanctuary should come.

All in-person services will be held in our Sanctuary, with a limit of 25 attendees to start, to allow for the required social distancing that we are required to observe. Rabbi Sagal, Fran Semaya, Emilie Kovit-Meyer and the Religious Committee will all be working to make these services as “normal” as possible. Zoom will continue to be available for those who do not wish to attend in person, and for people who are not members of CBI.

A  registration form will be emailed to members on Monday mornings to be returned no later than Thursday at noon to sign up for that Friday night's Kabbalat Shabbat service. Registration will be required - no walk ins will be allowed at this time. We look forward to seeing you in person!

For the full reopening Stage One letter including Health Protocols, please click HERE.

E-Torah from Congregation B’nai Israel

Tammuz 5781

Shalom!

The Torah portion for this week, Korach, centers on a rebellion against the authority of Moses and Aaron.  Korach, a cousin of Moses, together with Dathan and Abiram, mount a challenge to Moses, declaring that “all the people are holy” and “why do YOU think to raise yourselves above them?” (Num 16:3).

The Sages, with great insight, interpret the Torah portion as if it were a treatise on  political leadership.  Korach, they argue, represents the kind of leader that claims to represent “the people” but secretly harbors a lust for power, wealth, and influence.  The great Israeli scholar Yeshyahu Leibowitz interprets the biblical phrase “the sons of Korach did not die” (26:11) to mean that such people will always be with us.

We have seen far too many political “leaders” who proclaim their undying devotion to working for “the people”-and by their actions show that like Korach of old, they simply lust for power, wealth, and influence.  That is why the medieval commentator Rashi says that “its easy to give a sermon on Korach”-he is always with us.

Shabbat Shalom

Rabbi Doug Sagal