CBST members marching with their hand-lettered banner at the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade, 1976

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The original siddur (prayer book) from CBST.

CBST’s Friday night liturgy was always unique. The original siddur consisted of photocopied handouts of thirty-four pages in a report folder. Some members felt calling the siddur a shmatte (rag) was disrespectful. Others felt the name expressed the early do-it-yourself days.

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Bulletin from the Torah Fund at CBST

For the Torah Fund, CBST appealed…"Let each of us reflect whether the commitment we have made, or are about to make, represents out truest and most noble feelings.”

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Torah scrolls at CBST

In 1974, Temple Shaaray Tefila, NYC, lent CBST a Torah for the High Holy Days. In 1976, CBST received a Torah on permanent loan with the metal gates of its ark from the closed Reform
Tremont Temple Gates of Mercy, Bronx, NY. CBST raised funds to purchase a second Torah in 1978 and a third in 1982.

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A thank you note from CBST for a donation to the Torah Fund

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Archives Exhibit

Inscribing the Text

 

True to its “shopping bag” beginnings, CBST began holding Shabbat services before it had any of the trappings of a synagogue. Everything was borrowed or makeshift.

Members led services while others cared for the ritual objects and provided challah, wine, and siddurim. Before there were dues, a basket was passed on Friday nights to gather donations.

 
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CBST members marching with their hand-lettered banner at the Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade, 1976 -- courtesy of Daniel Kohanski

 

The CBST Siddur

CBST’s Friday night liturgy was always unique. The original siddur consisted of photocopied handouts of thirty-four pages in a report folder.

Modifications were made in translating the Psalms so that they would be particularly meaningful to a Gay and Lesbian congregation. 

 
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The original siddur from CBST. Some members felt calling the siddur a shmatte (rag) was disrespectful. Others felt the name expressed the early do-it-yourself days.

Siddur B’chol L’vav’cha

Completed in 1981 and radical for its time, CBST’s new siddur left the Hebrew text unchanged, eliminated male-gendered images of God in translations, and included the matriarchs.

 

Ritual Objects

 In 1974, Temple Shaaray Tefila, NYC, lent CBST a Torah for the High Holy Days. In 1976, CBST received a Torah on permanent loan with the metal gates of its ark from the closed Reform Tremont Temple Gates of Mercy, Bronx, NY.  CBST raised funds to purchase a second Torah in 1978 and a third in 1982.

 
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Bulletin from the CBST Torah Fund

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Torah scrolls at CBST

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A thank you note from CBST for a donation to the Torah Fund. For the Torah Fund, CBST appealed…”Let each of us reflect whether the commitment we have made, or are about to make, represents out truest and most noble feelings.”

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