CBI Blogs

When I first came to CBI six years ago, I was thrilled to join such an inclusive and welcoming community. It was clear from the beginning of my tenure that our community strives to create space for every person who walks through our doors, no matter what. I was equally thrilled to discover that, true to Austin form, Pride was held during the month of August rather than June. (If you want to know more about why Austin celebrates in August, check out this article from 2019.)

During one of my first staff meetings, the subject of supporting Austin Pride came up. I soon asked what we did to celebrate Pride at CBI, not just within the greater Austin community. I was honestly surprised to learn that we had never hosted a Pride Shabbat or anything else within the walls of our beloved synagogue. So, I decided that August 2018 would be our inaugural Pride Shabbat at Congregation Beth Israel.

Since that time, we’ve been blessed to hear from a number of remarkable speakers, ranging from people who grew up at CBI, rabbis who identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, newer members of CBI, and more. They shared their personal stories, the love they felt within the Jewish community and specifically here at CBI. They shared their hardships and heartaches, they shared their expertise, and they taught us amazing history. Most importantly, they opened our minds and hearts to new perspectives and new initiatives. We’ve learned that, while society has made incredible strides in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, we still have a ways to go before every person feels fully embraced, fully accepted, and receives full equity.

I am grateful we still celebrate Pride at CBI. I am grateful that individuals can walk into our sacred spaces and see staff members wearing supportive buttons and pins, that people have access to a number of all-gender bathrooms, that our website proudly displays a Keshet Jewish Safe Zone sticker, that we’ve adopted gender-neutral Hebrew language in many spaces, and more. I’m grateful that we continue to make CBI an inclusive and welcoming place which embraces and celebrates each person for who they are.

This year, we will celebrate Pride Shabbat on August 9 at 6:30. We’re fortunate to have Kachel Kohnhorst, Keshet’s Southwest Region Education and Training Manager as our speaker. She will share about the wonderful work Keshet is doing in Austin and throughout the Southwest region, why it’s important for the Jewish community to continue supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, and her personal story as well. And, as always, we will have a delicious rainbow challah as part of our celebratory oneg! Finally, please plan to join members of the Austin Jewish community to march together in the Pride parade on Saturday, August 10. You can find more information about the parade and how to register to join the march here.

At CBI, we are proud to support every member of our community. We celebrate each of our unique identities. We embrace every person who helps to make our space a Kehillah Kedosha, a holy community. Join us as we continue to celebrate all who make CBI a joyful, diverse, and inclusive place.