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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A Special Torah

CBI has the honor of owning a Torah scroll from the Czech Republic that was looted by the Nazis during 1939 – 1945. It and 1563 other Torahs were reclaimed by Holocaust survivors after the war and stored in a synagogue in Prague. Eventually, in 1964, these Torahs were moved to a synagogue in London. Our Torah (#464 of the group) was purchased by the Mizner family and generously donated to Temple Beth El in Lowell in memory of their parents.

In early 2024, the 60th anniversary of these Torahs’ journey to London was observed. Our Czech Torah has witnessed both the most ordinary and the most extraordinary events in history, both good and bad. This year, during our Yom Kippur Martyrology service, we took our special Torah out of it’s display case and gave the congregation an opportunity to view it up close. It was a poignant opportunity to reach into the past while praying for our future.

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On Sunday night, June 1, 2025, CBI will host a Tikkun Leil Shavuot dinner followed by a service and teaching by Rabbi Mandell.  The title of the teaching is ‘Tribalism, what would Judaism, our country, the world be like without it?’   Click here for more details

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Our next Shabbat on the Road will occur on Friday night, June 6, 2025 in North Andover at 6:30 pm.   Click here for more details

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The Congregation Beth Israel Annual Meeting will take place in Andover at CBI, and also on Zoom on Thursday evening, June 12.  The evening will begin with a dinner at 6:30 pm followed by the meeting. Click here for more details

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The 5th annual Juneteenth celebration – block party style – will be hosted courtesy of the Interfaith Community of the Andover Baptist Church on Saturday June 21, from 4 – 7 pm. All are invited. Click here for more details

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Mike Roesler will lead a hike on Sunday, June 22, at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport, MA.  The seacoast scenery is spectacular there, and the terrain is not terribly tough. Please join us for a delightful outing! Click here for more details

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And not too far on the horizon is our annual Sangria Havdalah service in Andover….Saturday, July 12, at 6:30 pm.  We will enjoy a potluck dinner and you’ll be able to vote for your favorite Sangria recipe after Havdalah.  Click here for more details

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The Book Club will discuss the final book of the 2024-2025 season in August.  The final book is called ‘Goyhood’ by Reuven Fenton.  The last book discussion was great….you have all summer to read the next book!

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On April 24, we hosted a program featuring a Holocaust survivor, Endre (Andy) Sarkany, who spoke to us about his experience living in a Budapest ghetto during the Holocaust. His father was taken to the Mathausen concentration camp in 1944, and fortunately he survived. That presentation has been saved in the cloud, and you can watch this presentation in a Dropbox video, the link which can be found on the  Holidays and Festivals page which can be found under the ‘Shabbat and Holidays’ Heading.

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We had a wonderful presentation on Olive Oil by an olive oil farmer in Rish Lakish Israel, Ayala Noimeir. Her family’s oil-press is located in the village of Zippori in the Lower Galilee, 5km from Nazareth.  You can watch her presentation in a Dropbox video, the link to which can be found on the Social Events page, under the ‘Our Community’ Heading.

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Rabbi Mandell presented a 90-minute talk entitled “No ifs, ands, or buts, Antisemitism always has been and remains indefensible” on Sunday morning March 2. You can watch that Dropbox video by clicking the link in the Adult Education page which can be found under the ‘Our Community’ Heading.

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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.