Brotherhood
Some members of Brotherhood stopped for lunch while boating down the Connecticut River in July. Throughout the year, men of all ages help with social and educational events and with our holiday celebrations.
Brotherhood
takes a leadership role in planning and implementing many
programs and activities supporting our congregation. Some
of the activities the Brotherhood sponsors throughout the
year include an annual Sukkah building event, a Hanukkah
Latke party, a Purim Carnival, a spaghetti dinner, and
a comedy night. It also hosts several breakfasts for educational
programming, sponsors the annual Clergy Institute, and
plans several sports and social events.
To read a history of Brotherhood and its longtime devotion to and involvement in Beth Israel, click here.
Caring Committee
Our Caring Committee reaches out through phone calls, mailings, and visits to congregants who are unable to come to our synagogue regularly .
Music Committee
Visit our Lifelong Learning section to read about all of our Music and Arts opportunities.
New Americans
Since the early 1990s, our congregation has reached out to help immigrants from the former Soviet Union become part
of the
West Hartford
community and active members of Congregation Beth
Israel. Our synagogue has provided assistance in many areas including education,
licensure help, clothing acquisition, and home needs. We provide
space for weekly classes for English as a Second Language. We also have a staff member who is fluent in the Russian language.
For more information, contact our office, 860-233-8215.
Ritual Committee
This Committee partners with our clergy to enrich our worship services and create additional ritual opportunities.
Seniors-
Dr. Robert A. Kramer Fund/Seniors for Arts, Growth & Education
(S.A.G.E.)
A very popular weekly program held from late morning through
mid-day that provides great companionship through stimulating
activities. S.A.G.E. events include
guest speakers from all walks of life, luncheons, yoga classes,
films, musical presentations, discussion groups, computer
classes, a monthly Forum with the
Rabbi, and medical programs.
Click
here to see our S.A.G.E. brochure.
For S.A.G.E. programs,
click
here to
go to our Adult Education page.
Singles
For more information about our outreach to Singles, contact Rabbi
Michael Pincus, mpincus@cbict.org.
Sisterhood
Sisterhood has great times together while supporting Temple functions.
The Sisterhood is the dedicated women's auxiliary at Congregation Beth Israel.
This organization contributes to and sponsors many of the programs and activities
that make our congregation the great community that it is, including planning
events & supporting programs, and hosting congregational dinners and luncheons.
The Sisterhood does all this in a warm, friendly, and welcoming atmosphere
that makes affiliation with the Sisterhood an enjoyable experience while at
the same time providing an opportunity to "give something back." All members
are invited to our monthly meetings, the first Tuesday of every month at 7:15
p.m. Consider becoming a part of the Sisterhood by joining or simply supporting
with a gift of time or a donation.
Beth Israel Sisterhood Religious School Fund partially
supports Sisterhood projects in our Beth Israel Religious School. The Sisterhood
has purchased large screen televisions and digital video cameras for the
school. Other past gifts have included some of the non-glamorous but important
things such as window shades, radiator covers, and painting -- and smaller
gifts that we provide every year such as Chanukah candles, Purim candy, and
Succoth decorations. Additionally our Sisterhood each year gives Confirmation
Bibles to Confirmands.
The YES Fund is a Women of Reform Judaism
(WRJ) national effort that supports programs for Youth (maintains 8 summer
camps), as well as Education and Scholarship (Union for Reform Judaism high
school, college and rabbinic education programs, the Religious Action Center
in Washington DC, support of the WRJ Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler Religious
Teacher Training Program in small and/or isolated Jewish communities).
Visit our Judaica Shop to see our exciting new merchandise! The shop carries
lovely jewelry, Judaica items and will help you with your Bar and Bat Mitzvah
needs.
Sisterhood - Judaica Shop
In
support of Israel solidarity, the Beth Israel Sisterhood Judaica Shop now carries
a new line of Israeli crafts. Here now, in time for Jewish Holidays, Life events
- B'nai Mitzvah, Confirmation, and other celebrations - Mother's Day, Graduation
or for any occasion for which you need to give a gift:
- Jerusalem stone Shabbat candlesticks
- Seder plates with matching matzah boxes
- Matzah covers with matzah boxes
- Silver jewelry by Yemenite craftsmen featuring Roman
glass and coins, lapis, Elat stones, carnelian, and turquoise
- And, for your next Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Talit and Kippot
Stop at the Judaica Shop and buy your piece of Israel.
And, if we don't have that special item for your special
occasion, we'll order it.
Hours on Sundays, 9 to 11:30 a.m. when Religious School is in session, or by appointment.
Social
Justice
The Social Justice Committee is charged with the responsibility
of relating the ethical
and
spiritual principles of Judaism as expressed in the teachings
of the Torah, of the prophets, of the sages, and of the
rabbis of Israel to the problems of the world and of translating
into moral and ethical deeds and actions the Judaism we
profess. Through study and discussion, the Committee helps
to educate and activate the congregation concerning the
pressing problems and issues of the times in accord with
the basic tenets of Judaism.
Mobile Foodshare- A Food Pantry on Wheels
Continuing Beth Israel’s long-time commitment to feeding the hungry and
our long-term association with Foodshare, the regional food bank, the Temple,
through the Social Justice Committee, will be hosting Foodshare’s food
pantry truck every four weeks. This
vehicle, which distributes fresh produce as well as packaged food for the hungry
in the community, will be parked in the Farmington Avenue driveway, by the
street. Food can be picked up by those in need from 12:45 to 1:45 PM from the truck
which opens on both sides for ease of access to the various items. We join
just one other site in West Hartford, the Hillcrest Neighborhood Center, in
meeting the pressing needs of hungry children and adults in our community.
If you know of people who need a food donation, please
let them know about our program. If you would like to volunteer
in helping with the distribution of food on
fourth Thursdays, contact Marlene through the
office.
Social Justice - Do a Mitzvah
To learn more about the Mitzvot you can do,
visit our Mitzvah
Opportunities page.
Temple Youth
Waiting for friends to Knock on YOUR Door??
Don’t just SIT there!!!
Find some friends and fun at CBI!
Our wonderfully energetic teen organization
(West Hartford Temple Youth - WHTY)
organizes numerous social and socially
conscious events throughout the
year. Because Beth Israel fully appreciates
its young members and realizes
the critical importance of nurturing
their Jewish identities and leadership
potential, the WHTY President holds
a seat on the Temple's Board
of Trustees.
Visit our Religious School page for more information about our award-winning Religious School!
Young Families and Friends
We have an active group of families with young children that meets every month. Visit our
Children's Education page for more information.
