Last year Jewish Family and Child Service’s annual Thanksgiving food box gala had all the makings of success. Falling smack on the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s Community Action Day, the number of volunteers jumped threefold compared to typical years. But this year, stars have aligned to pair Hanukah and Thanksgiving on the same day….
Portland has become the darling of the national food media. The city’s chefs and restaurateurs routinely collect accolades and awards. Local haunts are featured in Bon Appétit Magazine and The New York Times. But for every restaurant that attracts an onslaught of frenzied foodies, another quietly goes about the business of satisfying customers without receiving…
Homemade hostess gifts a nice alternative to wine And you thought Hanukkah came early last year? This year the festival of lights begins on the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 27, creating the rare need to multitask by lighting the second candle in our menorahs while simultaneously basting the Thanksgiving turkey! This unusual situation has not…
What can we learn from a figure in Jewish textual tradition? Compared favorably to Moses in the Talmud, raised in a family of converts, unlettered in Jewish scholarship until he was 40, my favorite Talmudic player by far is Rabbi Akiva. Having been raised by secular Jews, proud of their heritage but absolute in their…
Have you ever lamented the lack of Jewish cuisine in your neighborhood? That old standby, the traditional delicatessen, increasingly seems to be something of the past. Time was, you could stop by your local deli for a pound of smoked whitefish salad or a quart of matzo ball soup. Now, unless you are lucky enough…
Who doesn’t love reading Leviticus? Well, most liberal Jews it seems, for while that section of the Torah does contain some gems like loving thy neighbor (19:18) and laws commanding social justice and compassion, much of the rest is instructions for the ritualized handling of animal innards and the spattering of blood, diatribes against gay…
Historic book sparks interfaith dialogue A book about historical Jesus is probably not a topic that comes to mine when one thinks of contemporary and cutting-edge works. But a new book about “re-Judaising” Jesus is bridging two topics that may seem like they lie on opposite ends of the spectrum. Written by Ashland Rabbi David…
WHO: Jewish Theatre Collaborative WHAT: PAGE2STAGE Season WHEN: November 2013-April 2014 WHERE: Milagro Theatre, Mittleman Jewish Community Center, PSU Lincoln Hall SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS: 503-512-0582 or jewishtheatrecollaborative.org The Jewish Theatre Collaborative kicks off its 2013-2014 season with a brand new program format: PAGE2STAGE. This exciting format begins with one book and an invitation for audiences to…
Jewish Book Month: Oct . 26-Nov. 26, 2013 Observed for the 30 days leading up to Hanukkah, Jewish Book Month is a national celebration of Jewish books that helps promote giving Jewish books as Hanukkah gifts. Coordinated nationally by The Jewish Book Council, Jewish Book Month this year falls Oct. 26-Nov. 26. The Council prepares…
For the past 12 years two Portland sisters have been training companies to use today’s presentation technology to communicate better. Of course in this rapidly evolving era in technology, today’s technology changes constantly, but the sisters and their team stay ahead of the curve. Janine Kurnoff and Lee Lazarus co-manage The Presentation Company, which now…
