Cantor Breitzer’s Sabbatical

Dear CBE Community,

I’m pleased to let you know that after six and a half years of faithful service to our congregation, Cantor Josh Breitzer will be taking a sabbatical from January through June of 2018. The sabbatical tradition is observed by our movement and by our congregation by providing our clergy with this opportunity during their seventh year of service to CBE. This tradition, which Cantor Breitzer’s contract honors, dates back to shmita, when our ancestors allowed their land to rest every seventh year. For clergy, the sabbatical period serves as an extended Shabbat, enabling them to rest, to be refreshed, and to be inspired by new opportunities to learn and grow.

During his sabbatical, Cantor Breitzer will join the Clergy Leadership Program at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, give concerts in Florida and California, and serve as visiting faculty at Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem.

While we will surely miss his presence over these six months, we are grateful for our capable clergy team who will help me lead us through this period, including our Cantorial Intern Sarah Grabiner, our Rabbinic Intern Matt Green, and our multi-talented Rabbi Marc Katz.

Our Shabbat community, both on Friday nights and on Saturday mornings, has been growing in energy and participation, and we invite you to add your voice as we continue to replenish ourselves each week with Shabbat joy. I hope you will join me in wishing Cantor Breitzer a meaningful and restful time away, and together we’ll look forward to welcoming him back this summer.

L’Shalom,

Rabbi Rachel Timoner