Rich Geller works at the Beaverton Trader Joe's and is a freelance writer living in Portland, OR. He has written for The Bloomfield Journal, The Hometown Crier, The Hood River News, The Rosette Gazette, The Jewish Review, Art and Artifact, Oregon Jewish Life, Arizona Jewish Life, and Metro Parent. As a student at Portland State University, Rich worked at both Ooligan and Collectors Press while pursuing a Masters in Writing with a concentration in Publishing. In the Spring of 2011, Rich's first book, WonderDads Portland - The Best Dad/Child Activities in Portland was published. Rich is married to Leslie Geller, and has three children, Leo, Ethan, and Sela.
Perhaps more than any other Jewish holiday, Hanukkah (which begins at sundown Dec. 6 this year) calls on parents to deftly thread the needle between the spiritual and the secular. Is Hanukkah a tribute to the mighty deeds of our stalwart ancestors and G-d’s miracle of the oil? Or is it merely an orgy of…
Photo: In Oregon, it is easy to find running water for the Rosh Hashanah ritual of tashlich. “Tashlich” means “casting off” in Hebrew and involves symbolically casting off the sins of the previous year by tossing pieces of bread or another food into a body of flowing water. Just as the water carries away the…
Photos courtesy of Portland Parks & Recreation Those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are back again. The days are long and the kids are home, so it must be time for some Oregon summer fun! Here are 10 family friendly destinations that won’t break the bank. Grant Park: NE 33rd Ave. and U.S. Grant…
Oregon enters a brave new world July 1 when recreational marijuana becomes legal across the state. Oregon has long been a trailblazer when it comes to cannabis, becoming the first state to decriminalize the plant in 1973, and the second to legalize medical marijuana in 1998. Cannabis has long been a part of the Jewish…
It’s no secret that the Jewish people have had a millennia-long love affair with food. From the manna from Heaven that nourished the ancient Israelites during their long desert sojourn, to bagels and lox with a shmear, few things delight us more than getting our nosh on. Beyond mere sustenance, food plays a symbolic role…
The sad passing of actor Leonard Nimoy, known as Star Trek’s Mr. Spock for nearly 50 years, has triggered an outpouring of emotions across the globe. As the ever-logical, half-Vulcan/half-human science officer onboard the starship Enterprise, Nimoy brought a serene grace and dignity to the character of Mr. Spock. As the son of Yiddish-speaking, Ukrainian-Orthodox…
Passover is just around the corner, and that means it’s time for spring cleaning! If your New Year’s resolution to finally get organized never quite panned out, Pesach presents the perfect opportunity to make good on that promise. The Torah instructs us to rid our homes of hametz or leavened foods in anticipation of Passover:…
Tu B’Shevat, or the “New Year of the Trees,” is perhaps the most mercurial of Jewish holidays, with the rituals surrounding its observance shifting throughout the ages to meet the needs of the times. What began as a day to mark the age of fruit trees for tithing purposes when the Temple still stood in…
The long, cold, rain-soaked nights, suffused with the aroma of organic, locally sourced, cruelty-free, artisan latkes can mean only one thing – it’s Hanukkah in Oregon! For Jewish families with young children, Hanukkah is a special time to come together and share the history of our people. Hanukkah, or dedication in Hebrew, commemorates the rededication…
It’s hard to believe, but the High Holiday season is upon us once again. With the arrival of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, at sunset on Wednesday, Sept. 24, the Earth completes one orbit around the sun and begins another. For more than 4 billion years the Earth has circled its parent star, and…
