Ashland resident Judy Visser was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease 11 years ago. A wife/mother/grandmother, Judy was a teacher and education director for Temple Emek Shalom who lived the active Southern Oregon lifestyle. This could have been a devastating diagnosis. This should have been a devastating diagnosis. Our telephone interview, though, began with music: Judy played a…
You may know Phyllis Lang as the wise Queen Guinevere in Sleeping Beauty, or the artist who creates amazing Narnia masks. Her work with the Northwest Children’s Theater has ranged from handling props to playing Lady Montague. But along with a lifelong interest in theater, Phyllis has a mission based on her experience overcoming a…
Breast cancer. Those two little words can strike fear in the heart of even the strongest women among us. In fact, statistics show that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at one point in their lifetime. Most women know of at least one other woman who has been diagnosed with breast…
Another season is peeking around the corner and you know what that means … It’s time to shop. Once the essential back to school shopping for erasers, backpacks and socks is complete, it’s time to start thinking about packing up the tank tops and shorts and digging out your favorite comfy sweater and pair of…
OREGON AREA JEWISH COMMITTEE NAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Board of Directors of the oregon Area Jewish Committee has named Joanne Van Ness Menashe the new OAJC executive director. In this position Van Ness Menashe will provide the leadership under board direction to represent OAJC and its interests and values to community organizations and public officials….
Maybe you only celebrate the High Holy Days; or you attend synagogue every week. Perhaps you grew up in a home where Jewish and other holidays were celebrated with joy and love; or you simply love your mother’s chicken soup. The Jewish experience is nothing if not diverse, but at the core there is the…
Preparing for a bat or bar mitzvah in America today means more than simply learning your Torah portion, writing a drash or picking the DJ for your after party. Many synagogues also suggest their b’nai mitzvah students undertake some kind of community service, commonly known as a mitzvah project. Mitzvah projects range from fundraising for a…
On Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Missy Sokolsky is rehearsing “Fiddler on the Roof.” Missy’s third-grade class is staging the play because lyricist Sheldon Harnick’s son Matthew is one of Missy’s classmates at the elite Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School. The year is 1978 and 9-year-old Missy is playing Yente. She is a fourth-generation native New…
Younger donors first support causes they are passionate about – rather than institutions. It is up to organizations to inspire them and show them that their support can make a tangible difference on the wider issues. For years, many in Jewish communal service have raised the issue about the future of Jewish philanthropy. They ask,…
In the midst of our busy lives, finding time to get enough sleep is a challenge. Our days and nights are jam-packed with not only our own schedules, but with the agendas of our family and friends. Our digital world – now available 24/7 – has resulted in an extended work day and a…
