Lifecycle Events

Judaism encourages us to mark sacred occasions in our life, and our clergy and community are here to celebrate and support you. Our clergy is available to officiate at lifecycle events for members and non-members. Please contact the CMI Office (203-288-3877)to learn more.

Birth: Brit Milah (Bris) and Baby Naming

Rabbi Schaefer is available to officiate baby namings and brises and will help create a special service to welcome the newest member of your family into the Jewish community. He can also help guide you through the process of selecting a Jewish name.

B’mitzvah

Celebrating our students becoming a bar or bat mitzvah is such a special time for our community. Students learn about Judaism in the religious school, learn how to read Hebrew, and study with the Rabbi and Cantor in preparation to lead the CMI community in a Shabbat morning service. Through the process students learn confidence, improve public speaking skills, and develop a positive Jewish identity. We only officiate at b’mitzvah of members, and you must be enrolled in our religious school.

Listen to the prayers/music for our bar/bat mitzvah ceremony.

Download the b’mitzvah handbook.

Marriage

Mazal Tov! Love is love is love and we celebrate love here at CMI. We celebrate our diverse congregation including marriages between any two people who love each other: men and women, men and men, women and women, Jews and Jews, and Jews and non-Jews. Contact us to discuss officiating at your upcoming wedding!

Learn more about Jewish wedding rituals »

Simchas

Life offers us so many opportunities to celebrate milestones, from birthdays to anniversaries, new jobs and new opportunities. If you are celebrating a milestone and would like to receive a blessing on the bima during services, or engage Rabbi Schaefer for a special ceremony, please reach out!

Conversion

All are welcome at CMI to engage in worship and learning, regardless of their faith. If you feel inspired along your faith journey to officially covenant with the Jewish people and want to learn more about the conversion process, please make an appointment with Rabbi Schaefer to learn more. You can also learn more about the conversion process in the Reform Movement online here.

Part of the journey to conversion includes participating in the Introduction to Judaism (ITJ) class. This class will allow you to learn more about your Jewish heritage or prepare for the process of conversion with Rabbi Schaefer. Please register for class starting September 18th.

Funerals and Memorials

We are honored to help support you through the loss of a loved one. Our clergy is available to officiate at a funeral or memorial service, shiva minyanim, and to offer pastoral counseling during times of grief and loss. We operate a cemetery dating back over 150 years in New Haven. If you wish to purchase a plot, please contact our office for more information.