We're Asheville's only independent egalitarian Jewish community. More than 100 years old, we’re rediscovering ourselves every day. We love pot-lucks, swapping stories and kids in the sanctuary. We have a wise rabbi who lives in a young man’s body. He inspires, teaches and plays the ukulele. Sometimes we sing off key. We learn and laugh together, celebrate and care for each other. Interested?

Visit us in our new temporary home

While our building is closed for renovation, we invite you to visit us in our temporary digs: downstairs at Congregation Beth HaTephila (43 N. Liberty Street, Asheville). During renovations, CBI phone numbers and email addresses will remain the same. We hope to re-open in our newly remodeled building in time for the 2018 High Holidays. Meantime, we're indebted to CBHT for opening their doors to us while our's are closed.

This is Us

We're a blended family. Old and young, Jews by birth and Jews by choice; from L.A., Miami, Atlanta and Brooklyn - London, Johannesburg and places with names too hard to pronounce. We celebrate together: single moms and newly retired couples, inter-faith and inter-racial families. And all of us - observant, secular and agnostic - find common ground in community.

"For the first time in my life, I find myself yearning to go to shul.” - Rochelle Reich

This is what we're doing this week...

and this is what we're thinking about

Why a living wage matters

By Webmaster

March 25, 2018

(The following was written by Bruce Brown and appeared in the April 2018 issue of CBI's monthly newsletter, HaShofar) Beth Israel has recently been re-certified as a living wage employer by Just Economics. A living wage is the minimum amount that a worker must earn to afford his or her basic necessities, without public or private assistance. Millions of working people struggle to…

I will sing your praise

By Rick Chess

March 25, 2018

For a few years in the late 1990s, early 2000s, I brought a book of poetry with me whenever I went to synagogue for Shabbat morning services. After I was settled into my pew, I’d discreetly slip the book out of my tallis (prayer shawl) bag, tuck the thin volume of poetry inside the thick prayer book open in my lap, and,…

CBI Transformations: Week 16

By Webmaster

March 7, 2018

Our much-anticipated renovation project is now approximately 30-percent complete! The biggest changes you will notice are in the sanctuary where the large windows on the back walls are now being installed, flooding the new space with sunlight. Workers are also now ready to begin work on the main elevated reading platform in the center of the newly reconfigured space. Elsewhere,…

Good to know: JCRC of Asheville

By Webmaster

March 6, 2018

The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Asheville Area exists to build bridges of understanding and communication within our Jewish community and beyond to the general community. The JCRC has been active in Asheville for more than 25 years. Today, it is led by a group of Jewish parents, educators and leaders in the community with the goals of…

Dissolving Borders between Self and Others

By Rick Chess

February 21, 2018

The Buddhists have four stations of the heart: Metta (kindness), Mudita (compassion), Karuna (joy in the joy of others), and Upeka (equanimity). The Jews have four matriarchs: Sarah, a mother who laughs and who does not speak when her husband takes her son before dawn to offer him as a sacrifice in the place God will show him; Rivka, a mother who bears conflict and from whom is…

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“CBI nurtures my spiritual life, especially the Shabbos experience - the participatory services and the Kiddush luncheon, which allows us to visit and get to know each other.” – Jimi Moore

And this is Rabbi Justin Goldstein

I'll never forget my first day in Asheville. 1997, standing in the parking lot of the French Broad Food Co-op thinking, "I will live here one day." Throughout my years at Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in L.A., I often thought of Asheville and CBI. Danielle and I were married in Montford. Our aufruf (when the groom is called to the Torah) was in the small CBI chapel. To be honest, I never envisioned being a pulpit rabbi - I love community organizing and non-profit management - but if there was one place I would want to be a pulpit rabbi, I knew it would be here. (read more)

The Shepherd’s Staff

January 12, 2018

Perhaps one of the most famous features of the story of Moshe is his staff. While in Cecil B. DeMille's telling of the story Moshe performs all of the miracles of the plagues, in the Torah it is actually Moshe's brother, Aharon, who uses the staff to perform the miracles.…

"I deeply appreciate the empowerment and support I feel from Rabbi Justin and the CBI leadership to forge our own path, one that is consistent and true to our family without being led to feel like our Judaism is lacking.” - Ali Climo

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