Our History

Kahal B’raira has flourished since its humble beginnings in September of 1975.

Here is a short timeline of the congregation:

• 1975 Rabbi Sherwin Wine, founder of the Society for Humanistic Judaism, asks Barbara and Seymour (Sy) Schnuer to organize a congregation in Boston. On September 19th, the first meeting is held.
• 1978 The first Humanistic High Holiday service and Chanukah celebration take place in Boston.
• 1979 The Sunday school is started.
• 1980 The name “Community of Choice” is chosen and translated into Hebrew: Kahal B’raira (KB).
• 1984 Congregation celebrates its first Bar Mitzvah, that of Daniel Dain.
• 1986 Steven & Linda Brion-Meisels chair the Sunday School Committee and serve as first Principals.
• 1989 First KB graduates teach Sunday School: Evonne Wetzner & Josh Dodes.
• 1999 100 households are in the congregation.
• 2003 KB hires Gladys Maged as administrative facilitator.
• 2006 KB hosts the Society for Humanistic Judaism Conference and (a year late) celebrates its 30thanniversary
• 2007 KB moves to Fayerweather Street School in Cambridge.
• 2019 Gladys Maged retires as administrative facilitator, Lidia Pruente is hired as managing director.