Welcome to Congregation Beth Israel

Beneath our dome is a spiritual home, a place of community and friendship, a place to be inspired through prayer, a place for lifelong learning, and a place where every person makes a difference.

Elul Offerings

There’s an old saying that Jewish holidays never come at the right time – they’re either too early or too late. This year, though, we will be perfectly poised to enter the days of awe with the High Holidays beginning in October and giving us an extended month lead-up to prepare.  Each week there are offerings to reconnect with our community through classes, concerts, and prayer. Enjoy the beautiful days of summer and then join us for these  opportunities to spark your soul’s return and renewal!

Shofar So Good Workshop
Wednesday, September 18, 7:00 PM
In-Person ONLY
Pollin Chapel

Brokenness, Return, and Repair
Text Study on Entering Repentance
Thursday, September 26, 7:00 PM
In-Person and Online
Shirley and Herbert Semler Board Room
Zoom link to follow

Selichot Service:*
Teshuvah through Art with Lolly Jamerson
Saturday, September 28, 6:00 PM
In-Person ONLY
Main Sanctuary

* These musical offerings are the first two programs in our yearlong celebration of Cantor Ida Rae Cahana as she prepares to retire next June. These monthly music and cultural celebrations (more details coming soon!) are made possible through the generosity of Marcy Tonkin, Rose Rustin, Steve and Michelle Gradow, Janet Hoffman and John Harland, Sandra Lewis and James Rosenbaum, and Diane and David Rosencrantz.

Announcing Franklin Foer as CBI's 2024 Oseran Family Lecturer

The End of the Golden Age of American Jewry: How Anti-Semitism Returned With a Vengeance
Oseran Family Lecture with Franklin Foer
Sunday, September 22
4:00 PM
Congregation Beth Israel
Main Sanctuary
1972 NW Flanders, Portland

CBI welcomes Franklin Foer, one of the nation’s most respected political journalists, as our 2024
Oseran Family Lecturer.

A staff writer at the Atlantic, Foer was also editor of the New Republic magazine for seven years. His most recent book, The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden’s White House and the Struggle for America’s Future was an instant New York Times bestseller.

He’s also the author of World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech and How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of Globalization, translated into 27 languages, which Sports Illustrated named one of the “most influential books of the decade.” Foer also co-edited Jewish Jocks: An Unorthodox Hall of Fame, a winner of the National Jewish Book Award. His work has also won the Plume Libre prize and the Premio Terzani.

Free and open to the public

High Holidays 5785

The CBI community looks forward to welcoming 5785 with you with opportunities for worship, learning, and connection for all ages. As the holidays approach, and owe finalize or schedule of services  this page will ALWAYS have the most up today information on schedule of services, guest admission, parking, health and safety reminders, and more.  

A sweet gift of honey for your loved ones is a wonderful way to prepare for the High Holidays and, via WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood’s Honey from the Heart fundraiser, you can send an 8 oz. jar of kosher honey to loved ones near and far. 

Click to place your order; free shipping in the United States for honey ordered before August 8!