CBI Blogs

Shalom Chaverim,

Much of our t’fillah (prayer) is gratitude-focused. In fact, if you have ever joined us for Shabbat morning worship OR, in these past 10 days, Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur morning services, you would have prayed these words firsthand. We thank God for everything from our bodies working to our souls being returned to us to being made b’tzelem Elohim (in the image of God) to the planet we live on and the very air we breathe.

In fact, when teaching young children about prayer I like to say, “every prayer that begins: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam…is a thank you note to God, our Creator.” Thank you for creating fruit of the vine, thank you for commanding us to kindle the lights of Shabbat, thank you for bringing forth the bread from the earth, and so on.

As I sit at my desk in my home office, after having walked the dog and with my second cup of coffee in hand I am moved to write a thank you note to those remarkable CBI humans who made our Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur observances at St. Matthew’s church possible. (I say CBI humans because I know that my colleague, Rabbi Levy, will address our gratitude to St. Matthew’s in next week’s blog… stay tuned.)

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם...

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech haolam…

Blessed are you, Adonai, Creator of…

• Brotherhood and their membership for transforming into our ushering team under the leadership of Marvin Hecker and David Mann. Holding the door, helping you find a seat and answering your many questions helped make a foreign space feel like home.
• Sisterhood and their members who became the kugel/tuna salad/egg salad making, food gathering, tray-making, room setting, and room clean-up team led by Nicole Villalpando who brought us much needed sustenance for our bodies after 24 hours dedicated to our souls.
• The tech team led by Dan Lee and supported by Paige Solka, whose dedication and non-stop attention to detail made worship within our sanctuary walls AND in your homes accessible and beautiful at the same time.
• The remarkable people I get to work with every single day: Sarah Jew, Pam Hanna, Nate Firebaugh, Sera Bonds, Dawn Forman, Trish Ivey, Lainey Komerofsky, Carly Cera, Ellen Sable, and Larry Johnson whose hard work over the past several months leading up to and during these 10 days made our observance possible.
• My wonderful clergy partners, Rabbis Levy and Folberg, whose sermons uplifted us and whose eyes on cue sheets and so, so many slides made our worship not only run smoothly but inspired us too.
• My partner at my right-hand in music and worship, Maimy Fong. Wow. So many notes, so many cues, so much attention to detail and, mostly, so much support. I would not make it to the end of neilah without her.
• My other partner at my right-hand staying on top of cues and leading our choir, Jeffrey Jones-Ragona.
• Every voice in our beautiful choir (an * indicates section leaders):
  • Sopranos: Sue Bilich, Rebecca Braun*, Diana Goldstein, Emily Heller, Sarah Jones, Theresa Lyons, Lindsy Lev, Jo Patrick
  • Altos: Louise Adelman, Katherine Altobello*, Margaret Gewirtzman, Greta Gutman, Jean Hughes, Shari Nichols, and Karen Ostroff
  • Tenors: Allan Adelman, Michael Dixon*, and Peter Lohman
  • Basses: David DeStephen, Michael Friedman, Stewart Moser, and Gil Zilkha*
• Annamarie Kasper, the cellist who set the tone for Yom Kippur with her beautiful rendition of Kol Nidre, accompanied by Maimy.
• Brett Gassman whose playing of Kol Nidre on his saxophone was soulful and inspiring.
• Max Daniller-Varghese for so many powerful blasts of the shofar.
• Expert Torah readers: Josh Goldenberg, Phil Baum, Shoshi Witchel, Allan Adelman, Jessica Portnoy, Olivia Aronoff, Ellen Sable, Hazel & Mitch Cone, and Judy Mullinix.
• Lori Adelman, our Board President, for her inspiring words and unending support during her entire tenure as we have charted our course through the most unknown waters of our time.
• Caring, thoughtful dedicated volunteers/members who picked up stranded prayer books, were patient with security, adapted to new protocols and spaces, and who sang with all their hearts. I am finally properly tearing up as I replay you singing Avinu Malkeinu as a community - for the first time in three years, repeatedly in my mind.

For all of this and more, on behalf of myself, Rabbi Folberg and Rabbi Levy, we say todah rabah - thank you very much.

May 5783 be a year of blessings and joy as our community continues to grow, flourish, and become an even stronger and better version of ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom.