Elizabeth Mason: Thanksgivikuh

Elizabeth Mason: Thanksgivikuh Our Hebrew calendar found us segueing from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah within a matter of days this year. As such, the gestalt of Thanksgiving evoked a background for gratitude, light and dedication of the soul. Within the microcosm of the Mason family, there emerged a small-scale miracle around this period of time, its [...]

2021-12-15T10:51:16-08:00December 15th, 2021|

Michael Wasserman: Visiting GHIS in Israel

Michael Wasserman: Visiting GHIS in Israel I had the privilege to be the “special guest” at GHIS this past week.  Can you imagine?  GHIS is a private, not for profit high school in Israel that our CBB Community has taken under our wings helping them to fly and even soar.  GHIS is doing the unique [...]

2021-11-24T11:36:38-08:00November 24th, 2021|

Judy Karin: In the Fall We Build a Fort

Judy Karin: In the Fall We Build a Fort In the fall, we build a fort.   I have a childhood memory: we’re stuck in traffic, on the way to visit my grandparents in Queens. I glance out the window and see a field of - I don’t know, it looks like giant ferns. It’s [...]

2021-09-23T15:12:02-07:00September 23rd, 2021|

Daniel Hochman: The Divine Spark

Daniel Hochman: The Divine Spark Our teach­ings tell us we are in­fused with a di­vine spark. This pin­na­cle of light connects us to G-d and to each oth­er. When I cel­e­brate the suc­cess of my friends, I share that hap­pi­ness through this di­vine spark. When some­one is griev­ing, I can reach out with em­pa­thy; and [...]

2021-09-14T09:35:50-07:00September 13th, 2021|

Cantor Mark Childs: Reflections on Reopening

Cantor Mark Childs: Reflections on Reopening Just in time to end their school year, the students from our Netivot program came together yesterday morning en masse, in-person, masked, distanced and very happy (see photo below). I can’t overstate my feelings of joy, after a year plus of interacting via Zoom, over being physically together. My utmost wish [...]

2021-05-24T17:07:23-07:00May 27th, 2021|

Amy Katz: Forgiveness

Forgiveness Was I your Scape Goat? The one the Levities pushed over the edge of the cliff in the Wilderness? Was I your Flame in the gaslight? Was I the sacrificed bird, whose blood is splattered by the High Priest, over your leprocy? Did I clean your Soul? I don’t want to be the sacrificed [...]

2021-04-19T14:39:43-07:00April 26th, 2021|

Marcus James: My People, Place, & Purpose (Part 2)

Marcus James: My People, Place, & Purpose (Part 2) [CLICK HERE to read Part 1 of this series, Ed.] “Daddy, I have found my people, my place, and my purpose!” These were the words that drew me to Israel, which eventually led me on my own journey with Judaism.  Upon returning from my third trip there, I set about locating the local Jewish community -the people. While [...]

2021-04-19T15:09:21-07:00April 19th, 2021|

Marcus James: My People, My Place, and My Purpose

My People, My Place, and My Purpose  (Part 1) “Daddy, I have found my people, my place, and my purpose!” declared my eldest daughter Isabel (now Elisheva) over the phone from Israel. “I am not going to continue to Europe. I am staying.”   I found my daughter’s declaration intriguing. What was it she meant? Israel has been in the news all my life, but [...]

2021-04-19T14:58:46-07:00April 12th, 2021|

Rabbi Daniel Brenner: Refugee Shabbat 2021

Rabbi Daniel Brenner: Refugee Shabbat 2021 Erev Shabbat Sermon, March 5, 2021 Tonight across the country, reform and conservative synagogues are commemorating Refugee Shabbat, a Project of the Hebrew immigrant aid society. And this weekend in Santa Barbara, many faith communities are participating in Love your neighbor weekend, a celebration of our immigrant populations.  How [...]

2021-03-09T17:32:02-08:00March 5th, 2021|

Amy Katz: January 6 Riots (Part 2)

Amy Katz: January 6 Riots (Part 2) [Read Part 1, HERE] A very psychic friend had posted something about Nevada, right when I was wondering if and where to go. I took that as a sign. My destination: Carson City, the Capitol of Nevada. (I had to look up where the Capitol of Nevada was). [...]

2021-02-22T14:41:18-08:00February 11th, 2021|
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