Welcome to Congregation Beth Israel

We are an inclusive Jewish community in the Merrimack Valley that offers an atmosphere of warmth and friendship to all. We cherish and uphold the traditions that give meaning and beauty to our present-day Jewish lives.

At Congregation Beth Israel, our members are engaged in all facets of synagogue life – ritual and prayer, social action (tikkun olam), education and learning, and social connection.

We embrace a membership that is varied and diverse. One of our most fervent commitments is to each other, both in times of joy and in times of grief. We believe that everyone in our synagogue community has something precious to offer and hope you will find your Jewish spiritual home with us.

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On Friday night, April 12, 2024, Bashert, our musical in-house band, will lead a musical Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv service in the CBI sanctuary.  The service will be available via Zoom as well.   We will have an Italian potluck dinner before the service.  Dinner will begin at 6:30 pm and the service will begin at 7:30.

Click here for more details

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On Sunday morning May 5, 2024, CBI will host a presentation by Annie Kleinhaus, Holocaust survivor, in commemoration of Holocaust Rememberance Day, Yom Hashoah. We will have a brunch in person at 10:30 and our speaker will give her presentation at 11 am on Zoom.  Please RSVP to Janet by May 1.

Click here for more details

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On Friday night May 10, 2024, Bashert will lead a Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv service at Congregation Ahavas Achim, 53 1/2 Washington Street, Newburyport, MA.

Stay tuned for details.

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It’s not too soon to start thinking about baseball season!  We plan to participate again in this year’s Jewish Heritage Night at Fenway Park.  It was so much fun last year, we hope more folks will join us this year.  Please let Janet know if you are interested as we buy the tickets ahead of time.  The game is on Wednesday May 15, at 7:30 pm, against Tampa Bay.

Click here for more details

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On Tuesday afternoon, May 28, 2024, CBI will sponsor a Red Cross Community Blood Drive from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm. Call 1-800-Red-Cross (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter: Andover to schedule an appointment.

Click here for more details

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CBI holds Shabbat morning services in person (and via Zoom).  In-person reservations are requested by noon on Friday. Click here for details on Saturday morning services. 

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Updated CBI Health and Safety Protocols

• No person should attend an in-person event if feeling ill.  Remember this can mean a sore throat or stuffed nose.
• All in-person attendees must be vaccinated , and boosters are highly recommended.
• Masking is recommended and may sometimes be mandated if a large group is present.
• Food will be served in a common room and each participant can decide if they care to partake.
• Ventilation will be maintained with open windows.
• Individuals should maintain a distance between each other during most of the participation.
• A roster of attendees will be maintained in the Sanctuary in case contact tracing is indicated.
• All events, when possible, should be offered in a hybrid model; exceptions may be a hike or other outdoor events. Some events may be better presented as only virtual.