CBB’s Caring Community supports members during challenging times and serves as a resource to the community to organize support for members who may not already have a support network within the congregation.
The type of support we provide varies based on the needs of those we serve. Some offerings include: making calls or visits, cooking and delivering meals and gifts, driving those who need a ride, or attending a shiva minyan.
To volunteer, request help, or to ask a question, please contact Audrey in the temple office at 964-7869 x 113 or audrey@cbbsb.org.
Caring Community Offerings
Challahlujah – Founded in 2018 by Isabelle Kim-Sherman – a CBB teen and lay leader – Challahlujah delivers challah to members of Congregation B’nai B’rith who need the comfort of Shabbat brought to their front door. You can become a challah baker (if you need guidance Isabelle will provide it) and do a mitzvah by baking at home a few loaves and delivering them to CBB congregants. For more information about the project, see challahlujah.org. Are you ready to bake and help? Contact Isabelle at isabelleeoojin@gmail.com
End-of-Life Initiative – After successful seminars in 2010 covering the topics of Jewish traditions surrounding death, bereavement, and preparing advance directives, we are forming a committee to plan future events. Our goal is to organize a continuing effort to help educate and prepare members of the congregation for the end-of-life issues that we and our family members and friends will all face some day. Please see our page about the 5 Wishes Workshop for more information.
Jewish Community Emergency Fund Award – The Jewish Community Emergency Fund Committee consists of representatives of the Community Shul of Montecito and Santa Barbara, Congregation B’nai B’rith, Jewish Family Services of Greater Santa Barbara, the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Jewish Community Foundation Fund and one or more at-large Jewish community members. Our mission is to be a provider of last resort for one-time or short-term needs when there are no other avenues of help reasonably available. Please see the Emergency Fund Award Application.
Meal Delivery & Cooking Angels – We are privileged to offer hot, home-cooked meals for our members who have just had a baby, are ill, or have lost a family member. If you or someone you know needs help, or if you are interested in cooking, delivering, or helping to coordinate meal delivery, please contact Audrey in the temple office at 964-7869 x 113 or audrey@cbbsb.org.
For Parents of a Newborn – The birth or adoption of a child brings a time of enormous transition, and it takes some time for new parents to regain a sense of balance in their lives. We support new parents by providing meals for two to three weeks after birth or adoption to help ease this transition and to show our care.
For Those Who Are Ill – We coordinate the delivery of hot, home-cooked meals when illness or injury makes taking care of oneself or one’s family difficult.
For Members Experiencing a Bereavement – To support CBB members during their time of bereavement, a Caring Community Volunteer will call to offer condolences and, if the funeral or shiva is in town, to provide a platter of food for the meal of condolence after the funeral or for a shiva minyan.
Mental Wellness Committee – This program is designed to educate members of CBB about mental health issues in the hopes of reducing the stigma that is often associated with mental illness. In addition, we hope to provide appropriate support to CBB members who are dealing with mental illness personally or within their family or circle of friends. The support provided will evolve as a function of what participants of our programs tell us they want/need. Please see our Mental Wellness Committee page for more information.
Mi Shebeirach List – Mi Shebeirach is the name of the traditional Jewish healing prayer. We keep a list of names of those who are ill which is read at Shabbat services before the recitation of the Mi Shebeirach prayer. A name can be added to or removed from the list by contacting the clergy or the Temple office. Once a name is on the list, a Caring Community volunteer makes contact periodically to see how things are going. Please contact Audrey in the temple office at 964-7869 x 113 or audrey@cbbsb.org.
Shiva Minyan – When experiencing a loss of a spouse or close family member (parent, child, or sibling) it is customary to sit in deep mourning for seven days after the funeral. This is referred to as “sitting shiva” (“shiva” means “seven” in Hebrew). Part of the tradition is to have at least ten members of the community (a minyan) come together each day so that the mourner can recite the traditional Kaddish prayer. In our congregation, the number of days members sit shiva may vary, but we encourage everyone who loses a family member to consider observing shiva for some period of time. If you are interested in performing the mitzvah of comforting the bereaved by being available to help “make a minyan” as needed, please contact Audrey in the temple office at 964-7869 x 113 or audrey@cbbsb.org.