Congregation Beth Israel

Due to speaker illness, tonight’s Adult Education program, Israel’s Declaration of Independence: From Vision to Reality, has been canceled. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. We hope to reschedule the program at a future date and will share updates when available.

On Monday a deadly shooting took place at the Islamic Center of San Diego, which contains a mosque and school. A security guard was killed along with the two young suspects. Evidence at the scene strongly suggests a hate crime.

The Jewish Federations of North America described the attack as a “painful reminder that the threat facing religious communities in America is real, urgent and growing.”

When news of the shooting was released, our CBI clergy reached out to our local Islamic community expressing solidarity with our Muslim friends and condemnation of the hate crime.

Houses of worship should never be targets of hate.

This week we read the Torah portion Mishpatim, “the laws,” where the Torah moves from the drama of revelation at Mt. Sinai into the messy realities of human life. And tucked within laws about property and damages, we find a passage that has shaped Jewish thinking about reproductive autonomy for thousands of years (Exodus 21:22–23).

When a pregnant woman is injured and miscarries, the Torah distinguishes between financial damages and “life for life.” For centuries, our sages -- from Rashi to Maimonides -- understood this to mean that potential life and actual life are not the same, and that the life and wellbeing of the pregnant woman takes precedence. In Jewish law, abortion is permitted, and in some cases required, when a person’s life or health is at risk. Reproductive freedom is not a modern political invention; it is rooted in Jewish text and tradition.

On Reproductive Rights Shabbat, we join with synagogues all over the world to explore what Mishpatim demands of us: to protect the vulnerable, to defend pluralism, and to ensure that no single religious belief is elevated above others. Join us as we recommit to justice, dignity, and bodily autonomy as Jewish values.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Rachel Joseph
Senior Rabbi Designate

Mazel tov, Josh, and thank you for all you do for the CBI and greater Portland Jewish communities!

Congratulations to Michelle Caplan, Assistant Executive Director, Congregation Neveh Shalom , and Josh Kashinsky, Executive Director, Congregation Beth Israel , on receiving Peer Recognition Grants as part of the Grinspoon Amber Awards!

Michelle Koplan, Chief Executive Officer, BB360, was recognized this past Fall with an inaugural Grinspoon Amber Award, a national award celebrating outstanding leadership and impact in Jewish communal life. Following her recognition and in honor of Harold Grinspoon’s lifelong belief that strong, inspired professionals are vital to a vibrant Jewish future, Michelle had the opportunity to choose two individuals, Michelle Caplan and Josh Kashinsky, who deeply impact our local Jewish communal life. Michelle’s decision to lift fellow leaders reflects her deep commitment to collaboration, gratitude, and strengthening the Jewish community. We are so proud of her leadership and the ripple effect it continues to create.

Nominations for the 2026 Harold Grinspoon Foundation Amber Awards are now open through February 28! Nominate an outstanding Jewish professional for a $10,000 award and the chance to pay it forward: amberawards.com/nominate

Whether or not you’ve heard of Debbie Friedman, you have certainly been moved by her music. On Shabbat Shirah—the Shabbat of Song—we celebrate Friedman’s extraordinary legacy and the way her folk-inflected melodies and plainspoken, generous lyrics reshaped synagogue music for a generation.

At this Friday night service, Cantor Rayna Green will offer a sermon in song, joined by CBI’s Kol Echad Choir and teen ensemble, as we reflect on and renew our connection to the music that moves us when we gather together.

Due to scheduled server maintenance, the CBI website may be intermittently down from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM today, Wednesday, January 21. We appreciate your patience, and our office staff is available via email or phone at 503-222-1069 throughout the day.