MEMBERSHIP AT CBI
If you are new to our community and would like to learn about CBI, please fill out this Member Interest Form.
Amy Stein, our Engagement Coordinator, will follow up to schedule a meeting to share information, answer your questions, and help you connect with all that is happening at CBI.
If you are ready to join, please fill out this Membership Form. Reach out to Amy if you have questions.
As a member of CBI, you will be an integral part of our progressive Jewish community campus. CBI’s campus includes a synagogue associated with the Conservative movement, Abundance Farm, Gan Keshet Preschool, ALMA religious school, teen programming, adult education, havurah micro-communities, Tikkun Olam social justice work, and many more ways to live Jewishly and to be in community with others.
We hope you will join our vibrant, progressive community. We are dedicated to strengthening Jewish life in Northampton and helping our community members live lives of purpose and meaning.
ACCESSIBILITY
Don't let cost be a barrier to CBI membership.
Annual Household Income
Less than $20,000
$20,000 to $45,000
$45,000 to $70,000
$70,000 and up
Here are some guidelines to determine how much you may choose to pay:
Suggested Percentage of Full Cost
25% (or whatever you feel you can afford)
50%
75%
100% or consider becoming a sustaining member to support CBI at a higher level
These are only suggested guidelines. In the end, you choose your own level.
OUR FINANCIAL STRUCTURE
CBI is a not-for-profit institution that now has an annual budget of about $1.8 million. It is home to a USCJ-affiliated synagogue, a licensed preschool program and Abundance Farm. Our budget supports all aspects of our extensive list of programs, including full- and part-time professional staff, maintenance of our campus buildings and grounds and all the administrative work that keeps us going. This year, without an interim rabbi, 83% of our budget will go towards personnel salaries and benefits.
Here’s a breakdown of our expenses by program. (FY 2024 Budget) And here is where the money comes from (FY 2024 Budget)
Notice that tuition and fees cover only a portion of program costs. For example, ALMA religious school tuition pays for about half of the direct costs of running that program. Our member dues cover about 30% of the total costs in our current budget. Some members pay standard dues, some pay more, and some pay less. Some join our Sustainers Program and commit to contributing at least $500 or more each year beyond their regular dues. The rest of our income comes from annual fundraising, program fees and grants. Finally, we are fortunate to have some modest endowment funds that are used to support various programs and the operating budget.
Going forward, we are committed to transparency about our budget and financial health.