Join/Contribute

Membership is a Covenant

The most significant and meaningful way to support our community is by making the commitment, the brit (covenant) of membership. Membership is not simply a dollar amount, but a matter of values. It is making a commitment to support the community and be counted as part of the community. To become a member of CBI, contact our office (email from the website or call 342-6146) and we will connect you to our membership chairman, who will be happy to speak with you and send you a membership packet.

Unlike a gym or a club, you don’t pay money to get in the door at CBI. We strive to be open, friendly, and welcoming. All religious services and many classes and programs are free or quite inexpensive.

Members do receive some special benefits, including Religious School and Confirmation classes (with a book & supply fee), no fee life-cycle events performed by the rabbi, pastoral care by the rabbi, print newsletter, weekly e-newsletter, reduced or free costs at many events and classes, use of the library, member appreciation events, and so on. But Membership should not, we hope, be approached with a consumer mentality (how much do I need or get from the community at present?) but from a values mentality (how much does the continued presence of an active, full-service Jewish community in Chico and the Northstate mean to me?) Ours is a small Jewish community and every single person or family who chooses to make and honor that commitment has an impact.

Dues levels are self-declared and based on your own means and on making a commitment that you can honor and fulfill. We base our annual budget on these commitments, so the main thing is to pledge at the most generous level that you can truly fulfill in the course of a year. While basic membership levels are $900 per year for individuals or $1400 for families ($100-$300 for full time students), some households who are able donate up to $2000 a year in dues, while some others of modest means may give less than $100 a year and donate their service and work commitments to help keep us running. Every member is important and no one is excluded from membership for financial reasons. Your dues contribution level is regarded as confidential. Our membership chair will be happy to speak with you privately and come up with an amount or a donation plan that is right for you. His name is Dave Bermann and his email is: davew6ps@sbcglobal.net.

Celebrations

Birthday? Anniversary? Promotion? Graduation?Celebrate your special occasion at services: sponsors are always appreciated. You can bring and serve your own treats (most appreciated!), or contribute $25 for a Friday night Oneg Shabbat or $50 for a Saturday morning Kiddush to be prepared by other volunteers. To sponsor either event, contact the CBI office, 342-6146

If you would like to make an aliyah to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, contact Ritual Chair Keren Carter. Children may also celebrate with a blessing before the ark on Friday night or Saturday morning; contact Rabbi Danan.

Giving tzedakah is another time-honored Jewish way to celebrate a special occasion; donation envelopes to a variety of synagogue funds are available in the CBI lobby. Your donation will be recognized in the newsletter and if you provide the address, the person whom you are honoring will receive a card from CBI.

More Opportunities for Giving

The Temple budget is never sufficient for accommodating all of the many worthwhile activities and deserving causes in which our Congregation family engages. Your contributions are essential for helping to fund these important activities. There are many reasons to make a donation to the funds listed below:

• to congratulate friends or family on a special Simchah
• gratitude as you celebrate a Simchah
• to remember the Yahrzeit of a relative or friend
• to show your sympathy for someone’s passing
• to help your congregation for any reason
• appreciation for rabbinic and congregational support at a life-cycle event

General Fund

To meet under-funded or unmet Congregation budget needs

Building Fund

Contributions will build our Fite Matching Fund to help purchase land for our future new building

Gert Lenner Foundation Fund

To assist CBI youth to visit Israel or attend Jewish summer camp

Library Fund

For the purchase of books and supplies for our library

Prayerbook Fund

To purchase prayerbooks for the sanctuary, at the cost of $36 each. A bookplate will be placed in each prayerbook acknowledging the designated honoree.

Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund

For charitable donations or congregational needs, as directed by the Rabbi

Religious School Fund

For programs and supplies for our Religious School

Temple Beautification Fund

To beautify our Temple, both inside and out

Betty and Charles Hilton Fund

Supports fine programs that build Jewish community by involving the “head, heart, and hand.”

Rabbinic Studies Scholarship Fund

Supports our Ritual Chair Keren Carter in her rabbinic studies with ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal.

How To Donate:

Checks can be mailed to: Congregation Beth Israel, P.O. Box 3266, Chico, CA 95927. Donation envelopes are also available at the synagogue. Donations are acknowledged in the newsletter, to the donor, and to the honoree (if any).