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.
Caring Community Offerings
Acts of Kindness – We match our Caring Community Angels with members in need of short term assistance. This includes delivering soup (typically for those unwell), delivering care bags (such as to bereaved members), making friendly visits or check-in calls, or helping make a minyan at a Shiva (more details below). If you or a member you know is in need of assistance, please contact Audrey in the CBB office at 805-964-7869 X113 or email audrey@cbbsb.org.
* If you would like to become a Caring Community Angel please click here to let us know which assistive services you would like to offer.
* If you are already a Caring Community Angel who has just offered a service please click here to submit the Completed Service Form.
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.
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.
Mi Shebeirach List – Mi Shebeirach is the name of the traditional Jewish prayer for well-being and healing. 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. With the permission of the named person or immediate family, 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.