Congregation Beth Israel, Austin, TX

CBI is a Sacred Community . . .

Here at Congregation Beth Israel, we strive to bring individuals together to create a sacred community. Our goal is to help our members be there for each other in good times and bad, sharing what life brings us.

We also participate in activities to help heal ourselves, either through prayer or through learning. In addition to the Healing Services offered on Yom Kippur and through the year, we do this through participating in our "Hineynu"/Caring Community. Additionally, Rabbi Olshein will be leading a Jewish Cancer Support Group this fall with the Director of Austin's Jewish Family Services, starting on Tuesday, October 13th. Please contact Rabbi Olshein for more information regarding this program.

Additionally, as a sacred community, we come together to do mitzvot (good deeds) for others in order to do our part to do tikkun olam (repairing the world). Please see the other tabs under "Caring" for more information regarding Social Action and Mitzvah Projects we have undertaken here at CBI ... and let us know how you are interested in contributing to our sacred community!

Please click here for more information regarding Social Action at CBI.

Please click here for more information regarding Mitzvah Projects at CBI.

UPDATE: Komen to Continue Funding Planned Parenthood

This week, Reform Jews across the U.S. were vocal in their opposition to grant-making changes at the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Foundation that would have eliminated funding for Planned Parenthood’s breast cancer screenings – a health service particularly vital in low income communities. Rabbi David Saperstein, Director of the Religious Action Center [...]

The Real Heartbreak of Komen/Planned Parenthood

The controversy around the defunding/refunding of Planned Parenthood by Susan G. Komen for the Cure can be described, among other things, as disappointing, outrageous, offensive, reckless, narrow-mind and short-sided. I’ll throw in another: heartbreaking. This past December I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with Ambassador Nancy Brinker, sister of Susan Komen and [...]

2 Irans: An Update on the Iranian Nuclear Controversy

In the past few weeks we’ve seen two distinct visions of the Iranian regime: one nation shrouded in secrecy, on the brink of nuclear power, blaming other countries for assassinating its nuclear scientists, and another in direct contrast that appears to value diplomacy as it engages in nuclear talks with the International Atomic Energy Agency [...]

Super PAC Spending: Is DISCLOSE the Answer?

On Tuesday, Super PACs filed reports with the Federal Elections Commission detailing their fundraising and spending activities from October through December 2011. The numbers are astounding, but not surprising if you live in a primary state and have turned on the television once in the last two months. As the battleground for the Republican presidential [...]