Friday, February 7 at 7:30 pm - Shabbat Shirah  (Sabbath of Song) – Come celebrate Shabbat Shirah - we rejoice in our miraculous crossing of the sea as we escaped slavery and took our first steps toward freedom. This year’s Shabbat Shirah will feature the music of our beloved Chazzan Carl K. Naluai, Jr. – both familiar melodies and some you may not have heard before – sung by the B’nai Israel Choir. For more  information, contact Judy Emick-Leatherwood at 916-424-1071 or jemick@comcast.net.

Cantor Julie Steinberg

For most of our century and a half of existence, CBI has had an adult choir. Sometimes it has been composed of professionals, other times by congregational volunteers and others. Today, our choir combines both. These voices share their love of music and their love of the celebration of our traditions.

The CBI Adult Choir is extraordinary in its size, its sophistication, the range of its repertoire, and its ability to have fun. We sing for the High Holy Days, for a few Shabbat services, and other special events throughout the year. 

On occasion the CBI choir makes recordings; at least one is available at the CBI Gift Shop.

We welcome new additions to our choir – if you enjoy choral music and the pursuit of musical excellence, join us!

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Do I need vocal training, extensive experience singing in choirs, and the ability to read music? While these are helpful, they are not required. If you are able to sing in tune with others - e.g., no one leaves the room when you start to sing -- and can learn quickly from rehearsals, you are a candidate for the CBI adult choir.

2. If I can't read music, how will I learn? When preparing for a service or an event, rehearsals are weekly. Written music is provided and the director teaches the parts during rehearsal by playing them on the piano and/or singing them. It is helpful to record these first rehearsals and to go over the music at home daily or at least before weekly rehearsals. Recording or making notes at weekly rehearsals will enable you to learn and retain music covered in previous rehearsals.

3. What if my job and family duties make me unavailable on rehearsal night? We encourage members to sing throughout the year, but recognized that work and travel schedules make that difficult for some. Consult with the director when a situation arises; together a solution may be found.

4. When do High Holy Day rehearsals begin? Usually, in July for 10 - 12 evenings. These are held at the temple on a week night (traditionally Wednesdays) from 7:15 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

If you have questions or wish to join the choir, contact Cantor Julie Steinberg at 916-446-4861 or email her here.