Brotherhood

MISSION STATEMENT: Temple Beth Israel's Brotherhood exists to provide a vehicle for strengthening the synagogue's male community through social gathering, programmatic activities and service projects.

Brotherhood is an organization dedicated to service to CBI. Open to all men of the Congregation, it is also a social organization that promotes community among our members. Brotherhood programs include the annual Purim carnival, raising the outdoor Sukkah, and a variety of lectures throughout the year.

Your membership helps support community service and programmatic activities sponsored by the Brotherhood. For example, your dues help support the Brotherhood’s Youth and Scholarship Fund, CBI’s American Cancer Society Relay for Life team, and the children’s Purim Festival.

Your contribution also helps us to hosts programs involving learned speakers on subject concerning political and social facets of Jewish life.

Finally, membership entitles you to discounts on many Brotherhood outings that include trips to sporting events, poker and pool tournaments, and general male carousing fun.

Join Brotherhood today!

For up to date announcements from the Brotherhood please visit the Brotherhood's Google Group web site.

Click here for listing of upcoming Brotherhood events.

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Purim (Carnival) – It’s Not Just for Kids Anymore

By Scott Schaffer

What do these things have in common?

Having your picture taken on a plywood facsimile of a camel;
Dressing up as a king, a hero, villain, princess or (at your option) a camel;
Rumpusing in an inflatable bouncy house;
Getting your sugar high on with an endless supply of cotton candy;
Bowling, throwing, guessing, putting, tossing, gathering, and/or hunting for fabulous prizes;
Eating Haman dogs and Hamantaschen with a drink and side of your choice (for a reasonable added fee);
Listening to the screams of joy of Jewish kids participating in any one of the above; and
Spending at least some of your time between 12:15 PM and 3:00 PM on Sunday, March 4th after Sunday school in the Blumauer Auditorium helping to facilitate any one of the above.

If you guessed Christina Aguilera concert, then go to the back of the line.

No, it is instead the annual Brotherhood Purim Carnival. Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 4th as this has been the date appointed for the Purim Carnival hosted by your CBI Brotherhood. There will be carnival games aplenty, and the Brotherhood is very generous with the prizes and liberal with the rules of the games. Last year, in the “throw a beanbag through the hole” booth, I allowed my son to creep closer and closer until his hand was hovering over the crevasse into which he dropped the beanbag. Prize for him! In another situation, I saw a kid use his whole body as a bowling ball to knock over all the pins. Prize for that kid, too! I saw two-year-olds place a golf ball in the hole. Prize! I saw a teenage throw a hoop around a peg from halfway across the gym. Prize! I saw a fellow Brotherhood member take one too many trips to the cotton candy machine. Prize! And tummy ache.

Although you do not have to be a member of the CBI Brotherhood to enjoy any of these events or attend our meetings, know that your participation helps us in our goal of promoting community and service by fostering fellowship and providing a service, social, recreational and educational medium for the Jewish men of the community. Should you wish to be a member, or to help out on any of these events, please contact me (the president of said august organization) at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Should you wish to help directly with the Purim Carnival, contact me ahead of time and meet me in Blumauer auditorium at 10:00 AM the morning of the event.