Melissa Schapiro, Author at

Social Action Book Group

June 13, 2019 By Melissa Schapiro in Uncategorised

The Beth Israel community will have an ALL READ event 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July 21, 2019, sponsored by the Social Action Book Group. The books to be discussed are:

REFUGEE by Alan Gratz. REFUGEE is a young adult historical fiction novel that features 3 stories in one; Josef, a Jewish boy escaping Nazi Germany in the 1930s, Isabel, a Cuban girl escaping Castro’s regime in 1994, and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy fleeing from the conflict in Syria in 2015.

Adults can also read THE LINE BECOMES A RIVER: DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER by Francisco Cantu. “… a lyrical and moving account from a third-generation Mexican-American who spends four years seeing for himself the horrors endured by `crossers.’ ”

These books give a timely perspective on immigration and refugees.

Mourning Noémi Ban

June 10, 2019 By Melissa Schapiro in Uncategorised, Uncategorized

With profound sadness, we are sharing the news that beloved Beth Israel congregant, Noemi Ban, passed away following a brief illness on Friday afternoon, June 7, 2019, surrounded by her dear ones.

In lieu of flowers, the Ban family suggests sending memorial contributions to the Ray Wolpow Institute for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity at Western Washington University or the Building Fund of Congregation Beth Israel.

Read this tribute on Western Washington University’s Western Today website.

Kesher B’Ivrit

April 24, 2019 By Melissa Schapiro in Kesher Center for Jewish Learning

Kesher BIvrit curriculum summary March 2019

Rabbi Samuels in Olympia

April 12, 2019 By Melissa Schapiro in From the Rabbi

Click below to watch Rabbi Joshua Samuels deliver the opening prayer at the House of Representatives in Olympia March 28, 2019

Rabbi Samuels

Message to our community

October 28, 2018 By Melissa Schapiro in From the Rabbi

October 27, 2018

Dear Friends,

We are overcome with grief and heartbreak.

This morning as many of us were beginning our day, an antisemitic gunman entered the Tree of Life – Or L’Simcha Congregation in Pittsburgh and murdered 11 congregants. Once again, a fellow citizen armed with hatred and an arsenal has sown destruction in a house of worship. Once again, antisemitism has reared its ugly head, this time in a community very much like our own.

Our Jewish tradition teaches us to keep quiet in a house of mourning as rarely can words ever express a way to comfort those grieving. Our presence is sometimes the most effective way to communicate to mourners that we are holding them in our hearts. Words cannot express how sad, angry, frustrated, and bereaved we are in this moment. We will take the time we need to mourn and then we will rise up. We will reach out to our fellow congregation and offer to help in any way possible. We will continue to gather for Shabbat services and Torah Study and all the other ways each of us participate in the Jewish life of Congregation Beth Israel.

We are, and will remain, vigilant in protecting our community’s freedom to worship, study and celebrate Judaism. We work constantly to align our security measures with best practices, and we are routinely in touch with law enforcement.

Pride Parade 2018

June 22, 2018 By Melissa Schapiro in Uncategorized

CBI at pride parade 2016

Join your Beth Israel family in march-ing to support the LGBTQ community at Bellingham’s Pride Parade on Sunday, July 15, 2018
This will be our third consecutive year marching as a community in solidarity behind a banner at the Pride Parade. Last year we had a huge turnout. Let’s try to increase our numbers and show the greater Bellingham LGBTQ community that they have an ally in Congregation Beth Israel.

Recognizing Building Donors

June 19, 2018 By Melissa Schapiro in Our Building

Todah Raba to all for the generous support that has made our new synagogue building possible.

As finances and volunteer time allow, donors will be recognized in tangible ways in and around the new synagogue. On a central wall, likely in the form of a Tree of Life, all new synagogue donors of $1,000 or more will be acknowledged.

In addition, as spelled out in our Policy for Donor Recognition, donors of $5,000 or more are welcome to select specific items to be dedicated in their name, such as rooms, furnishings or other building features (stairwells, drinking fountains, etc.). Small plaques near each item dedicated will serve to honor the donor. All signage will be modest and tasteful, in keeping with the culture of CBI and the interior design of the building.

Here is the current List of Dedications.

Benefits of Membership

January 11, 2010 By Melissa Schapiro in Membership

Beth Israel invites those who are interested in participating in synagogue activities and becoming part of the Jewish Community of Northwest Washington to join our congregation. We do require at least one member of your family be Jewish. Non-Jewish family members are welcomed and encouraged to participate fully. Currently, our membership includes more than 200 families – mostly from Whatcom and Skagit Counties and Southern British Columbia, Canada. We are a Reform Congregation and an affiliated member of the Union of Reform Judaism.

Our congregation, under the spiritual guidance of Rabbi Joshua Samuels, offers weekly Friday night Shabbat services, twice monthly Saturday morning Shabbat services, regular Torah Study sessions, and ritual observance of all Jewish Holidays throughout the year. All are welcome to attend.

In addition to High Holy Day observances, each year Congregation Beth Israel hosts a Community Seder at Passover, Purim Carnival and Purim Spiel, Hanukkah Party, and a variety of other traditional celebrations. We often host guest speakers on Jewish topics, visiting scholars, and guest cantors who share their considerable talents with us.

Among the benefits of Beth Israel membership are:

Becoming part of a vibrant, active, and growing Jewish Community
Having a spiritual home for observing Jewish holidays and important life cycle events
Joining us as we reach our centennial milestone, and become part of the rich history and tapestry of our congregation
Participating in the building and consecrating of our new synagogue – ground-breaking begins soon
Receiving Bar and Bat Mitzvah training for boys and girls coming of age, or B’nei Mitzvah training for adults
Enrolling in Beth Israel’s Religious School (kindergarten – confirmation)
Becoming active in our youth group, NFTY-Northwest Chapter, that meets regularly for social and educational programs
Enjoying special programming for young children (Tot Shabbats)
Partaking of a variety of adult education classes on a wide range of Jewish topics
Enrolling in conversion classes for those wishing to become Jews
Receiving our newsletter, Shul Shofar, to stay abreast of synagogue events and activities
Becoming active in Sisterhood or Brotherhood

We invite you to daven (pray), schmooze, and come celebrate Shabbat with us. Join Congregation Beth Israel and help us preserve our more than 5,700 year old Jewish heritage.

Interfaith marriage at CBI

January 11, 2010 By Melissa Schapiro in From the Rabbi, Interfaith Families

June 14, 2018

To the Congregation Beth Israel Community,

We write to share a significant outcome from our latest Board of Directors meeting. Two nights ago the members of our Board approved a new policy regarding interfaith weddings at our Beth Israel campus.

The policy reads as follows:

In regards to officiating at interfaith weddings in the Beth Israel synagogue and throughout its grounds, the Rabbi shall use his/her discretion in performing marriages between Jews and non-Jews. This is the sole decision of the Rabbi who has freedom of the pulpit.

With great respect to the customs and traditions of Congregation Beth Israel, the following are guidelines that CBI requires its clergy to follow when considering the officiation of a wedding between a Jew and a non-Jew at Congregation Beth Israel:

Melissa Schapiro

About Melissa Schapiro

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