Ruth Gruber, Photojournalist
Seats offered on a first-come first-served basis.
Portland Jewish Book Celebration continues
The annual Portland Jewish Book Month celebration was expanded this year to reach beyond one book and one month. The six-month celebration that began last November continues with in March the Mittleman Jewish Community Center hosts its first Authors’ Series. The talks at the MJCC begin with Kimberly Marlowe Hartnett. At 7 pm, March 3, she will discuss her book, Carolina Israelite – How Harry Golden Made Us Care about Jews, the South, and Civil Rights. On March 8 at 7 pm, author Jessica Fechtor will share her book, Stir – My Broken Brain and the Meals That Brought Me Home. Laura Nicole Diamond, author of Shelter Us: A Novel, wraps up the author series at 7 pm, March 15.
Individual event tickets are $8 or $5 for MJCC members; a series pass is $20 or $12 for members. For information and registration for the Authors’ Series, visit oregonjcc.org/authorseries or contact Len Steinberg at lsteinberg@oregonjcc.org.
Sephardic Winter Film Series
features: Nicky’s Family
English language, 103 minutes, Production by Matej Minac and Patrik Pass.
Guest Speaker: David Tver
Tuesday, March 15th @ 7:00pmCongregation Ahavath Achim
3225 SW Barbur Blvd.
Portland, OR 97239Admission and Desserts are Free!
Sponsors: Renee Ferrera, Charles & Jo Levy, Richard & Judi Matza, Albert J. & Esther Menashe, Ron & Pam Sidis, The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, and Portland NCSY
What if Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein and Steven Sondheim collaborated to write a Purim schpiel?
Well, that’s not going to happen.
Instead we have Congregation Beth Israel’s own retelling of the Biblical Book of Esther:
West Side Schpiel
Wednesday, March 16, 6:00 PM
Congregation Beth Israel
1972 NW Flanders Street
Portland, OR 97209
Starring the clergy, staff and the volunteer choir of CBI, “West Side Schpiel” is the story of star-crossed lovers caught between the warring factions of uptown Shushan. A parody of one of the most beautiful and beloved Broadway musicals, “West Side Schpiel” brings a hilarious new telling to the ancient tale.
Congregation Beth Israel’s annual Purim Schpiels have become a highlight of the year. These original productions fulfill the ancient Jewish custom of retelling our familiar story in new and engaging ways. Through clever rewording of the lyrics, the shows bring humor and joy to our community. Past productions have included “The Jews Brothers,” “Blazing Schpiel” and the “Pirates of Purim.” Scenes from these and others are on the synagogue’s web site: www.bethisrael-pdx.org
The schpiel is free and open to the community.
Join us for a weekly story hour for young families with PJ Library stories, crafts and music!
DEADLINE for Sala Kryszek Art & Writing Competition. The annual competition for middle and high school students encourages youth to evaluate history, foster an awareness of the Holocaust, and broaden their minds in the areas of art, history, civics, sociology and literature. For the competition, students are presented with a prompt that becomes their cue to create a piece of writing or a work of art. ojmche.org/educate/education/sala-kryszek-art-writing
Join PJ Library as we bring back Yad b’Yad with Kim Schneiderman! Intergenerational singing and stories at Cedar Sinai Park.
A weekly story hour for young families with music & PJ Library books!
No story hour on April 29th.
WANT TO DO SHABBAT BUT HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN WHO FALL ASLEEP EARLY?
Congregation Shaarie Torah & PJ Library Present:
A Little Shabbat at Shaarie Torah
Join Rabbi Josh Rose and Dorice Horenstein for a lively Shabbat full of singing, greeting, stories, eating and new friends. Come welcome Shabbat together with our young community. Appropriate for families with children in preschool, 2 years and older.
Free and open to all, no prior knowledge/Hebrew required
Interfaith families welcome!
3rd Friday of the Month
5-6:30 pm
Please join Congregation Shaarie Torah for a special Shabbat morning service. At this service, we will include new melodies, explore the service with some reflections on the prayers themselves, and chant according to the Triennial cycle of Torah readings. It will be a mix of the beautiful and familiar traditional Shabbat morning service and new ideas and energy. This service meets in the Chapel downstairs on the third Saturday of the month.