Judaism has a blessing for every time and season. We may be familiar with the words of Kohelet, (Ecclesiastes),
לַכֹּ֖ל זְמָ֑ וְעֵ֥ת לְכׇל־חֵ֖פֶץ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם
עֵ֥ת לָלֶ֖דֶת וְעֵ֣ת לָמ֑וּת עֵ֣ת לָטַ֔עַת וְעֵ֖ת לַעֲק֥וֹר נָטֽוּעַ
A season is set for everything, a time for every experience under heaven:
A time for birthing and a time for dying, A time for planting and a time for uprooting the planted;
Here I am. One word in Hebrew, three in English. Both demand action. They are words that inspire our passion and show that we care. Abraham, Moses, Samuel and Isaiah said the words. Sarah, Miriam, Hannah, demonstrated them in their lives.
At CBI, we are here for every moment of life. Together we rejoice at moments of great joy. Together, we hold one another when life is overwhelming or filled with loss. Whether high, low or in between, Rabbi Weintraub and CBI strive to bring meaning and blessing to every sacred moment.
In the Jewish tradition, we welcome babies into the covenant, the Brit, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. Ideally, we hear from you well before the birth or adoption of the newest member of your family. Meeting with Rabbi Weintraub, we can prepare a traditional, yet modern ceremony that meets the spiritual needs of your family.
Traditionally, boys are welcomed into the covenant on the eighth day with Brit Milah. In partnership with experienced local physicians, Rabbi Weintraub will be happy to celebrate your son’s entry into the covenant, whether at home or at CBI. The traditional ceremony includes circumcision, the blessing of his Hebrew name and the inclusion of friends and family.
Daughters are welcomed with celebration, often on a Shabbat morning, when the family can be called to the Torah together. With readings and blessings for the entire family, we share your daughter’s Hebrew name and bring her into our community.
Sometimes in life we choose to take on a new name. A common custom when one has been severely ill is to add a name of healing to encourage the malach hamavet, the angel of death, to avoid you! If you are looking to accept a new name, acknowledge a name that was never formally bestowed, change your Hebrew name, or add to your Hebrew name, we can help!
All three are terms to welcome a young adult into the responsibilities and privileges of Jewish communal life. A child is a son or daughter of the commandments. The ceremony is a celebration of their coming of age, their acceptance of Jewish responsibility, and their connection to our holy community.
As such, we expect that children have a strong connection to CBI. We want our children to understand what it means to be Jewish today. We want them to have a deep connection to our rituals, prayers, and heritage. They should be regular participants in services, youth services and programs and our PRTT. More can be learned in our handbook.
All three are terms to welcome a young adult into the responsibilities and privileges of Jewish communal life. A child is a son or daughter of the commandments. The ceremony is a celebration of their coming of age, their acceptance of Jewish responsibility, and their connection to our holy community.
As such, we expect that children have a strong connection to CBI. We want our children to understand what it means to be Jewish today. We want them to have a deep connection to our rituals, prayers, and heritage. They should be regular participants in services, youth services and programs and our PRTT. More can be learned in our handbook.
It is a great simcha, joy, for a child to be called to the Torah for the first time. It is a celebration not only for them, but for the entire community. The experience should connect their spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical selves to their burgeoning adulthood. This process is not only for the child, but for the entire family. It includes study of Hebrew, Torah, Jewish living and thought. We strive to ensure that the needs of every family and child are met, regardless of learning differences. Rabbi Weintraub, Maureen Sechan and our tutors work hard to inspire our next generation to love Torah, Israel and God.
Click Here to see our updated B’nai Mitzvah Informational Guide.
A celebration of Jewish adulthood can happen anytime after 13. If you did not have the opportunity when you were younger, please reach out and we can work together to craft a ceremony that is meaningful to you.
Note–celebrations of B’nai Mitzvah are limited to members of Congregation B’nai Israel of St Petersburg in good standing.
Bereshit (Genesis) says that individuals leave their parents and cleave to their spouses. A true partnership is one that is based on mutual respect, trust and love. It includes shared values and strives to build a bayit ne’eman, a faithful household of Israel. Rabbi Weintraub LOVES love and so enjoys helping couples start their lives together.
Please reach out to our office and Rabbi Weintraub to plan your wedding today. Together we will find the perfect balance of traditional Jewish practice and your voices.
CBI will be happy to host your wedding in our beautiful Benstock Family Sanctuary. For information about renting our space and having Rabbi Weintraub officiate at your wedding, please be in touch.
Rabbi Weintraub is excited to officiate at a Jewish wedding of any two Jewish individuals. As a member of the Rabbinical Assembly and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, he cannot officiate at weddings that fall during Shabbat (sunset Friday to sunset Saturday). Please consult Rabbi for other dates that are and are not auspicious for Jewish weddings. Rabbi cannot officiate at an interfaith ceremony. If a non-Jewish partner is interested in becoming part of the Jewish people, Rabbi Weintraub is ecstatic to assist in the conversion process and then officiate at a wedding between two Jewish individuals.
We are thrilled to celebrate your love and partnership! Rabbi Weintraub is always happy to meet with couples to create a meaningful and personalized Jewish wedding celebration.
Members looking to discuss their wedding plans with CBI may contact the office to discuss their upcoming ceremony.
Rabbi Weintraub is a board certified chaplain and feels blessed to be present with our community in times of joy and sorrow. Whether we are struggling with physical, psychological or spiritual issues, Rabbi Weintraub is always honored to support you. He will be happy to meet for short-term counseling, spiritual support and pastoral visits. If further psychological care is needed, he will be happy to connect you with qualified practitioners.
Additionally, we have an amazing chesed committee that works to ensure no one is ever alone. Our Sisterhood shares their “Hug in a Bowl” to Sisterhood members who are under the weather and need a little physical and spiritual sustenance.
Over the years, CBI has hosted Wise Aging groups, and other support groups as needed, often in partnership with Gulfcoast JFCS. Gulfcoast has many additional resources for those with a wide variety of challenges.
Rabb Weintraub and CBI strive to support our community members before, during and after a loss. If a loved one dies, please contact us as soon as possible. In this way, we can discuss funeral and shiva plans and provide pastoral care to family members. Please call the office or rabbi immediately before or after reaching out to the Jewish funeral home. If you do not have a connection to a funeral home, we can also make connections, as well as assist with burial plans at Chapel Hill Memorial Park. The Jewish Burial Society of Pinellas County has been serving our CBI community for decades.
Judaism and Jewish practices around loss are a powerful way of honoring our loved ones and supporting our spiritual and psychological wellbeing following a loss. From shiva to shloshim to yahrzeit, the mourning periods and processes are incredibly comforting and help provide support in a difficult time.
Sharing your wishes with CBI in advance of a loss allows us to be prepared to best support you. If you have prearrangements, please let us keep a copy in your files, so that we can best assist you in your time of need.
A tremendous blessing at CBI is our daily minyan. Having the opportunity to say Kaddish on behalf of a loved one brings comfort and connection in a time of pain and isolation. By joining our daily minyan in person (or on zoom) we can find spiritual support in a challenging time. Many who join minyan for memorial purposes find the routine and blessing inspires them for years to come!
It is common to honor the memory of our loved ones with a matzevah, a marker. Traditionally they are unveiled around the yahrzeit, the anniversary of a loved one’s death. While the ceremony can be lay-led, many find it comforting to have Rabbi Weintraub’s presence to assist with the structure and shared memories of the day.
Yahrzeit is the anniversary of a death. When a loved one dies, please ensure that we have the Hebrew name and date. Once entered in your account, we will remind you each year before the yahrzeit. Your loved one’s name will be announced on the Shabbat before, as well as the evening before and day of the Yahrzeit at all of our minyanim.
On Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret (8th Day of Sukkot), the 8th day of Pesach and the 2nd day of Shavuot, we have Yizkor services as part of our festival worship. On these days we honor the memories of our loved ones with additional prayers and remembrances. We also dedicate memorial plaques that have been hung in our Benstock Family Sanctuary. Names on our memorial plaques are recited in perpetuity. To order a memorial plaque, please contact the office.
Judaism is a faith, a tribe, a nation, a people, a heritage, a culture and a family. Becoming a part of the Jewish family is not only a declaration of faith, but a declaration of joining our community. Becoming part of our family requires commitment, practice and dedication. It includes study, prayer, discernment, and a declaration of faith. In keeping with Jewish law, halacha, it requires at least a year of study, demonstrating regular participation in Jewish life, meeting with a Bet Din of three rabbis, and immersion in a mikvah of living waters. Men must be circumcised and have a hatafat dam brit, a symbolic spiritual circumcision.
Rabbi Weintraub regularly teaches Introduction to Judaism courses and is happy to meet to discuss your spiritual journeys.
