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Judaism as the Culture of the Jewish People To us, Judaism is more than religion; Judaism is the entire cultural legacy of the Jewish people. Religion and tradition are central; Jewish spiritual insights and religious teachings give meaning and purpose to our lives. Jewish creativity as expressed through art, music and drama, languages and literature — and our relationship with the land of Israel—all are integral parts of Jewish culture. Each of these aspects provides a gateway into the Jewish experience that can enrich and inspire our lives today. Community as a Cornerstone While deeply connected to the historical experience of the Jewish people, we find a profound sense of belonging in our contemporary communities as well. This connection often leads to ritual observance along with experimentation within the ritual rhythms of Jewish life. We find meaning in rediscovering the richness of tradition and in creating new observances that respond to our contemporary communal and personal cycles. Like other communities that embrace Reconstructing Judaism, CBY is characterized by our respect for such core values as democratic process, social justice, and inclusion. In this way, we create a participatory, egalitarian community committed to exploring Jewish life with dedication, warmth, and enthusiasm. Following our participatory approach, our Shabbat services are mostly lay-led. We do a lot of singing and talking together during the service as a way to create a spiritual community that transcends the individual. We arrange for a rabbi to lead holiday services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Patterns of Practice “Torah” means “teaching.” In Jewish tradition, Talmud Torah, the study of Torah, is a life-long obligation and opportunity. Reconstructionists are committed to serious engagement with the texts and teachings, as well as the art, literature, and music of tradition. But we are not passive recipients; we are instead challenged to enter the conversation of the generations, to hear voices other than our own, and to add our own voices as well. Reconstructing Judaism is respectful of traditional Jewish observances but also open to new interpretations and forms of religious expression. Reconstructionists share a commitment to making Judaism our own by finding in it joy, meaning, and ideas we can believe and put into daily practice. Ethics and Values Reconstructionist communities emphasize acts of social justice alongside prayer and study as an essential part of their spiritual practice. Reconstructionist Judaism affirms that religion can and must be a powerful force for promoting communal discussion about ethics and values. We feel ethically obliged to engage in regular acts of social justice such as feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, supporting the LGBTQ+ community, and preserving the health of our environment for the betterment of all.

A small way to make a big difference. We accept check and venmo donations. One Time Donations If you would like to support us, please consider making a donation. If you are a new or current CBY member DO NOT submit your annual membership dues here, see below. Amount $ 0/225 Comment (optional) Donate Membership Dues 1 2 3 First, Select which membership option is best for you and your family. Single (1 Member) $500 Family (2+ Members) $850 Student $150 Intro Rate First Year $200 Please fill out and submit your details in our Membership Form Complete your payment plan via Venmo or Check. Venmo In the description of your payment, please Include the Following: Full Name Membership Description Installment Number Please make all checks payable to: Chavurah B’Yachad P.O. Box 9115 Salt Lake City, Utah 84109 Check 4 Confirm your payment plan via email to chavurahbyachad@gmail.com.

Chavurah B'Yachad is a lay-led Reconstructionist Jewish Community in Salt Lake City, UT. CBY aims to make safe space for Jewish community in our rituals, rhetoric, and community engagement. Welcome to Chavurah B’Yachad Chavurah B’Yachad , Salt Lake City’s Reconstructionist Jewish congregation, has nurtured a warm community culture for nearly 40 years. CBY is an active, socially engaged, welcoming group — passionate about repairing the world (Tikkun Olam) and seeking justice for all. Monthly lay-led Shabbat services include a potluck vegetarian dinner, lots of music, and engaging, smart, surprising Torah discussions. We have some excellent cooks and a guiding principle: No one should ever settle for bad challah! We host a Passover Seder and rabbi-led High Holiday services. Reconstructing Judaism , our progressive Jewish movement, approaches both life and Judaism with a deep consideration of the past and a desire to create and share new ways of being Jewish in the present. We adhere to Mordecai Kaplan's tenet: “The past has a vote but not a veto.” Our members may be Jews by birth or by choice, single or part of family units, inter-faith families, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. All are welcome at our services and events. Founded in 1986, Chavurah B’Yachad is a participatory congregation that provides a setting for the exploration and celebration of our Jewish roots and traditions, a forum for intellectual and spiritual growth, and an extended family to celebrate life cycle events. Almost forty years after our founding, this inclusive vision still challenges and inspires our congregation of 50+ members.

Events and Services Calendar

Thank you, Donor Name We are so grateful for your generous donation of $0. Your donation number is #1000. You’ll receive a confirmation email soon.

What goes into a CBY Shabbat? We believe that a great shabbat evening must have three core elements. The rest is commentary. 1 Something Familiar Whether it is a tune from your childhood or your grandmother's special recipe, our shabbat would not be complete without a slice of nostalgia to make you feel comfortable. 2 Something New Reconstructing Judaism means we must re-examine and re-engage with ritual in new ways. This could mean diving deeper into the Hebrew, sharing a relevant poem or English song, or even leading a parsha-based discussion. We want you to challenge us. 3 Something You As a lay-led congregation, we are incomplete without your individuality. Your unique leadership will make this shabbat unlike any other. We are so excited for you to take us on a Shabbat Journey. If you don't know where to start your process, please take a look at what folks have done in the past for some inspiration. Get Started

Our Mission Reconstructionist Judaism cultivates and supports Jewish living, learning, and practice in a changing world. We are guided by our commitment to being an inclusive, largely lay-led, community-oriented, egalitarian congregation, as well as to building a more compassionate world for everyone. When a dozen Salt Lake City families met in 1986 to create an alternative Jewish worship community in Salt Lake City, we hadn’t even heard of the Reconstructionist movement. But when we went looking, this progressive branch of Judaism proved the perfect fit. The founders wrote Chavurah B’Yachad’s original bylaws to stress inclusivity. For us, full equality for women, interfaith families, and LGBTQ+ Jews was a given, a straightforward embodiment of civil rights. At the time, rabbis and cantors could (and did) lose their jobs when their queer identity was discovered. CBY was ahead of the Reconstructionist movement, which took another six years to endorse equality of gays and lesbians. Initially, our small group met in people's homes, even for the High Holidays and Passover. Over the years, we have met in spaces belonging to Lutherans, Episcopalians, Quakers, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the JCC. From 2008-2024, Congregation Kol Ami rented us space for our monthly meetings. In 2025, we found a good match at the warm and welcoming McGillis School. When we read from the Torah at services and at B’nai Mitzvot, we read from our own Torah, a retired military scroll purchased in 1998.

Youth Education With CBY As of 2025, CBY remains a lay-led community organization. To create a youth education plan, a small group of parents developed The Four Pillars of Youth Education, which are detailed below. Pillar 1: B’nai Mitzvot. Student learning will culminate in a Friday night service led by the B’nai Mitzvah student with the support of the community and their families, which will include Torah reading and a D’var Torah. Pillar 2: Social Justice. As part of their B’nai Mitzvah, the student will identify a project, with help of the social justice committee. Pillar 3: Understanding Jewish culture, values and community. Parents will rotate leading lessons and activities that highlight different aspects of Jewish culture, values, identity and life. CBY members will contribute significantly to help lead discussions for the youth. Pillar 4: Learning Hebrew: Interested parents will find and pay for a Hebrew tutor outside of CBY.

Members Pages and Portal Welcome to the Chavurah B’ Yachad Members Only pages and portal. Only active CBY members will be able to access these pages. If you are interested in becoming a member please see the "Contact Us" page for more details. We intend for the members portal to be used as the primary mode of communication between members and the Board. Members pages include links to the Member listserv, Member blog, membership directory, Shabbat service guidance, CBY policies and procedures, the President’s monthly updates, and more! Guidelines for use are being created. Items will be continuously updated as needed. This is an active page – we encourage you to use it!

Member's Whatsapp Welcome to the future! We are proud to launch our "Members Only Whatsapp" to fulfill all your networking and socializing needs. This will serve as the nexus for all informal and formal dialogue. From political debates to sharing recipes to discussing committee business, we have plenty of channels to accomodate all your communication needs. All you need to do is download the app and then scan the QR code or click the green logo below. What are you waiting for? Join the conversation today!

Join Our Kibbitz email List! Our KIBBITZ email list is open to anyone who wants to learn about our holiday and Shabbat services, special events, and occasional board meetings. Membership not required! Simply complete the form to the right. Please feel free to share your interest in our community. First name* Last name* Email* Long answer Submit

High Holy Days 5786 Chavurah B'yachad is very excited to welcome you into the new year with plenty of rich programming. Please join us for any and all events! Shanah Tovah! L'Shanah Tovah! Erev Rosh Ha'Shanah Sept 22nd 6:30p - 8:30p Service followed by Festive Oneg: “The Great Honeycake Taste Off!” Rosh Ha'Shanah Morning Sept 23rd 9:00 Children’s service 9:30 Shacharit, Torah, & Shofar service, followed by a light kiddush 1:00pm - Tashlich Kol Nidrei Oct 1st 6:30 Service & Meditations Bring a tallit if you have one. Yom Kippur Morning Oct 2nd 9:00 Children’s service 9:30 Shacharit and Torah service Yom Kippur Afternoon Oct 2nd 5:30 - Yizkor (Memorial) service followed by Neilah (Closing) service, followed by vegetarian potluck Break-Fast and Havdalah. Sukkot Lunch October 11 1:00 - Potluck Vegetarian Lunch 3:00 - Torah Study "Kohelet." Bring a Tanakh if you have one. Free Registration First name* Last name* Email* How many will you be? Events Erev Rosh HaShanah Rosh HaShanah Morning Kol Nidrei Yom Kippur Sukkot Register