Our Community
Congregation Beth Israel is proud to be a part of the Portland community since our founding in 1858. We are affiliated with the Reform Movement through the Union for Reform Judaism. While our history provides us with a rich heritage, embracing new congregants ensures that we will be here to serve generations to come.
We are delighted that you are interested in Congregation Beth Israel. We are a diverse community that includes singles and single parents, students, non-Jewish spouses and partners, people of color, and LGBTQ+ people, and we reflect the full range of ages and abilities. Our programs are designed to meet the diverse spiritual, religious, educational, and social needs of our members.
Look around our website, come to Shabbat services, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or give us a call at 503-222-1069 to learn about Congregation Beth Israel. Our doors are always open to you! Our Program Director, Chelsea Micali, welcomes .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) of our vibrant community!
Programming for Families with Young Children
Between twice-monthly Tot Shabbats for our Mini Mensches, and The Jennifer Barnum Luria Early Childhood Center‘s play-based, child-led Reform Jewish education for students aged six weeks through prekindergarten, CBI wants to celebrate, learn, and grow with you. Our clergy and staff design holiday experiences with little ones in mind as well, with “babies on the bimah” for the High Holidays, Chanukah light shows, Purim carnivals, and more—all of which are free and open to all.
Please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you have questions about any of our programs for little ones (or their grownups).
Programming for Families with School Aged Children
In addition to monthly musical Oneg! Shabbat celebrations (with special birthday blessings for children celebrating that month) and High Holidays observances designed for grade schoolers, tweens, and teens to learn, lead, and connect with their peers, CBI’s arts integrated Religious School celebrates with students on every step of their Jewish education.
An unusual—and particularly meaningful—tradition within our community is to have each first grader create a wimple—a beautiful ritual cloth inscribed with their Hebrew name and symbols that have meaning to their family and community—at the start of the school year. We display these wimples at their consecration, a celebratory service marking the official start of their Jewish education, and they are used to wrap the Torah at each child’s B’nei Mitzvah, and are cherished in the years to follow.
Please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you have questions about our youth programs or Religious School
Programming for Teens
CBI teens (both those enrolled in our Religious School and those who are not) are able to put their Jewish values into action with social justice trips ranging from the US Mexico Border covering immigration issues, exploring environmental activism in San Francisco, learning the history of the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi, to meeting their elected representatives in Washington, DC.
Closer to home, they are able to build connections at Timbers and Blazers games, holiday service and art projects, and just hanging out through our youth group programming. They also hone their leadership skills (and earn some spending money) as Madrichim, or teaching assistants.
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) if you’d like to learn more about our teen programs!
Programming for Adults
With weekly opportunities for Shabbat observance and Torah study, lectures, concerts, a robust WRJ/Beth Israel Sisterhood and Brotherhood, ongoing efforts for social justice through our Social Action Committee, and volunteer-led CBI Circles ranging from aviation, wine tasting, crafting, kayaking, and more, there is something for everyone here at CBI!
If you have questions about CBI or any of our programs, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)