Book Talk@Neveh
A series of book discussions held throughout the year. Come to one or dive into them all – meet others and connect over good literature with facilitated, in-depth discussion during this 10:45am Sunday morning series at Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, 97239
May 3
The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy
Summer 2015
Bee Season by Myla Goldberg
Saturday/Sunday, May 2-3rd.
What’s more Jewish than a great story? This festival will bring together classical and maggid style storytelling, The Moth Style personal narrative, storytelling workshops for those who want to learn the art, and even events for kids. The festival culminates in a performance by the magnificent Bohemian Cabaret ensemble Vagabond Opera.
Saturday, May 2 – 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. – Donation based, pay after performance
Sunday, May 3 – 1:00 – 7:30 p.m. – $36 whole day; $18 evening concert
For more information, tickets and a full schedule of events, please visit shaarietorah.org/storyfest
Congregation Shaarie Torah Presents:
Tell It Like It Is: Portland’s Jewish Storytelling Festival
Saturday/Sunday, May 2 & 3
Saturday May 2 – 7:00 – 9:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
Sunday, May 3 – 1:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 12:30 p.m.)
920 NW 25th Ave, Portland
More information about schedule, tickets and more at: shaarietorah.org/storyfest
What’s more Jewish than a great story? Congregation Shaarie Torah, along with the Jewish Federation of Portland, are please to present Tell It Like It Is: Portland’s Jewish Storytelling Festival this upcoming May 2 & 3 with featured Storytellers: Maggid Cassandra Sagan, Mythteller Brian Rohr and Musician/Teller Eric Stern of Vagabond Opera. This Festival will bring together classical and maggid-style storytelling, moth-style personal narrative, storytelling workshops for those who want to learn the art, and even events for kids. The Festival culminates in a performance by the magnificent Bohemian Cabaret ensemble Vagabond Opera.
“We’re hosting a Jewish storytelling festival over a Saturday night and Sunday that we’re pretty excited about.” Says Rabbi Josh Rose of Shaarie Torah, “Stories and storytelling are fundamental to the Jewish worldview – each story in the Torah and stories from our sages points us toward some new way to comprehend the world, and we even derive law from these narratives. But even beyond the Torah, stories from our collective past and family legend are just so much a part of how we make sense of the Jewish experience. The event is going to be a lot of fun – some master storytellers in the classic mode, some maggidot trained in the Jewish spiritual tradition, some moth-style, edgier kind of stuff, and some really great music. This will be a great event for the whole community – for people who are plugged in Jewishly looking to explore storytelling in greater depth, people who are into storytelling and are curious about the Jewish angle and just people who are looking for something engaging.”
About The Artists
Cassandra Sagan is an ordained Maggid, a Jewish teacher/preacher/storyteller through the lineage of Reb Zalman Schacter-Shalomi z”l all the way back to the Baal Shem Tov. She has devoted her life to helping others access and express creative brilliance through story, poetry, song, and InterPlay, which she calls “play as a spiritual practice.” Cassandra is a designated Leitzah Kedushah, Holy Clown, on the faculty of JSE, the Jewish Spiritual Education Maggid-Educator Training Program where she teaches Personal Narrative and InterPlay Torah study. She has hosted, taught, and told stories at local schools, libraries, synagogues, churches, and the Oregon Jewish Museum, and travels around the country to teach and Tell. Cassandra shares, “I’m a student of Kabbalah and a mosaic artist and I love to make beauty out of brokenness. Through Story we enter the timeless realm, we can lift up/redeem joy from the past and transform the present and the future. Breishit b’ra Elohim: in a beginning, God starts creating. When we engage our creativity, we begin to know God, which is the goal of Judaism. When we tell our story, through words or silence or song or art, we make a tikkun, we help to repair this world. What’s not to love?”
Brian Rohr is a performing sacred storyteller whose mission is sharing the ancient art of storytelling as a way to educate, entertain and offer healing to individuals, communities and the living world. Using cultural folktales as well as stories from the Torah and other sacred texts, Rohr lifts the stories out of their usual written context and brings them to life in the realm of the oral tradition. Through doing so, we are invited to find ourselves within the ancient stories and find a deeper understanding of how the sharing of the stories in this way offers us new perspectives within our tradition. Rohr has performed and taught for a number of Jewish communities, organization and events, including: the 14th International Jewish Renewal Aleph Kallah, a keynote presenter for teachers at the “Tapestry of Jewish Learning” in Austin, TX, as an Artist-In-Resident at Camp Solomon Schechter located in Olympia, WA, various congregations in Portland, Chicago, Seattle, throughout the Olympic Peninsula and more. He was honored by JT News as a “10 Under 40” recipient for 2013 by being chosen as one of 10 Jewish people in Washington State under 40 years old whom they consider are doing particularly important and inspirational works within the community, specifically as a storyteller. According to Rohr “The oral tradition of storytelling offers insight, inspiration and meaning in our own journey as we travel our unique Jewish Path.” More at: www.brianrohr.com
Eric Stern is a nationally recognized musician and composer, best known as the founder and artistic director of Vagabond Opera. Being a song and opera composer (as well as a librettist and stage performer), the progression from storytelling as a musical art form to a spoken form–traditional storytelling– came naturally to him. In New Mexico he co-founded Neshama, a Jewish storytelling and theater festival. Since coming to Portland, Stern has been featured as a soloist by Portland Story Theater many times over. Here’s what Stern had to say about storytelling in Oregon Jewish Life: “The music and the way they [the synagogues he attends] perform the rituals of Judaism influence my compositions and stage presence.” As a storyteller, Eric is informed and inspired by the Jewish culture. “Jewish people are natural storytellers,” he says. “When you’re a part of a culture that’s been around for a very long time, it informs your storytelling. The stories you tell are derived from stories you’ve heard. You’re the next link in the chain.” More at: http://ericsternevents.com/storytelling/
About Congregation Shaarie Torah
Shaarie Torah is an inclusive, multi-generational Conservative synagogue, nestled in the heart of Northwest Portland. This warm and welcoming Jewish community has a 108-year history, which looks to the future by balancing contemporary and traditional Judaism. They strive to ensure that every voice is heard and that every member is counted. The Shaarie Torah community offers extensive programming and activities that work to foster Jewish values of social justice through: Torah / Learning, Avodah / Service, and Loving Kindness.
Contact and More Information
Congregation Shaarie Torah
920 NW 25th Avenue, Portland, OR 97210
503-226-6131, info@shaarietorah.org
Web: Shaarietorah.org/storyfest
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/926372900730970/
Gala 2015 is Sunday, May 3. It’s a different kind of Gala, and a once-in-a-lifetime night. CKA is partnering with Clark County Food Bank to bring Grand Prix World Champion of Magic, Shawn Farquhar, plus other magicians and entertainers to Kol Ami for A Night of Magic and More. Shawn’s magic act, close-up magic, table magic, demonstrations, raffles and silent auctions, buffet dinner catered by Beaches, cash bar and a night to be with friends. See friends, bring friends. All ages are welcome. NO CASH APPEAL. Gala goal is $70,000 gross.
- Admission: $75 per person (early bird special $60 thru April 15): For tickets: https://ckolami.ejoinme.org/magic
- Fan: $125 admits 1 with drink tickets and FAN recognition
- Booster: $300 admits 2 with drink tickets, Booster recognition and magic momento
- Bronze Sponsor: $700 admits 4 with drink tickets and beniis
- Silver Sponsor: $1,250 admits 6 with drink tickets and beniis
- Gold Sponsor: $2,500 admits 8 with drink tickets and beniis
- Platinum Sponsor: $5,000 admits 8 with many beniis (and opportunity to be named event sponsor).
The Seattle trio Uncle Bonsai performs original, contemporary folk/pop music at Temple Beth Sholom in Salem on Sunday, May 3, at 6:30 pm.
Tickets: $18 in advance, $22 at the door, $36 VIP tickets (preferred seating and wine/chocolate reception with the band after the concert).
From their website (http://www.unclebonsai.com/):
“A folk-pop trio from Seattle, performs funny original songs whose
exquisite musical detail and subtle needling wit attain a level of craft
not often seen in pop” — NY Times
The Seattle trio Uncle Bonsai performs original, contemporary folk/pop music. With their soaring and intricate 3-part vocal harmonies and biting humor, accompanied by only an acoustic guitar, Arni Adler, Patrice O’Neill, and Andrew Ratshin deliver poignantly unflinching portrayals of life, love, and a guy named Doug. The trio’s influences range from the Beatles to Stephen Sondheim. Some say Zappa cross-bred with Peter, Paul and Mary. Loudon Wainwright III, the Roches. Three tightly tiered and adhered voices, acoustic guitar. That’s it. Nearly naked folk-pop for everyone.”
Opening for Uncle Bonsai are award-winning singer-songwriters Kristen Grainger and Dan Wetzel from True North Band.
Learn to Write Poetry with Rabbi David
Rabbi David Zaslow will be teaching a poetry writing class in seven sessions beginning Tuesday, April 21. Rabbi Zaslow says, “The power of the metaphor is a portal to a higher reality.” Rabbi Zaslow is the recipient of the 1988 American Book Award for educational materials. He travelled the nation and taught teachers how to teach poetry in their elementary and high school classrooms. Today, as a rabbi he combines his understanding of the rhythm and imagery with a tilt toward the sacred. The course is geared toward those who already write poetry and with to take their writing to a deeper level, as well as the novice. In each class participants will write and have the option of sharing in an intimate space and safe space that Rabbi David creates. Seven Sessions on Tuesdays: April 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26, June 2, 7-8:30 PM. Cost for the class is $155 , with $15 discount before April 7. Call 541-488-7716 to pre-register or for more information or visit www.havurahshirhadash.org. The Havurah is located at 185 N. Mountain Ave. in Ashland.
Join us for our Mamash Learning class as we discuss and learn about subjects regarding Judaism. Our enriching classes will reflect the current holidays as well as going into other facets of Jewish life.
No class on April 8th, due to Passover.
Wednesday Night School at Shaarie Torah for Middle and High School students
Every Wednesday (except for major holidays) from 6:00 to 8:15
For more information email Dorice at education@shaarietorah.org
Join us as Professor Oren Kosansky reveals what the genizah of the old synagogue in Rabat, Morocco tells us about the Jewish relationship to the written word as well as the earlier generations of Moroccan Jews.
Oren Kosansky is Associate Professor of Anthropology and Chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Lewis & Clark College, where he researches and teaches on topics related to Jewish culture and society in North Africa and the Middle East. As a Fulbright scholar in Morocco, which once was home to many Jews but now has a population of about 100, Dr. Kosansky discovered a genizah, which has become an important focus of his work since. As director of the Rabat Genizah Project, Dr. Kosansky brings together an international team of community representatives, scholars, archivists, and information technologists to develop a digital archive of Moroccan Jewish documents.
Prior to arriving in Portland, Dr. Kosansky was a fellow at the Herbert D. Katz Center for Advance Jewish Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Recent publications include the book Jewish Studies at the Crossroads of Anthropology and History (co-editor) and the article The “Jewish Questions” in Postcolonial Moroccan Cinema, which appeared in the International Journal of Middle East Studies.