Mia Birk, 50, contributes her time, expertise and targeted funding to make the world a better place because, “I am grateful beyond measure for all that I have and all that I am. … Being able to give back fills me with joy.” She doesn’t think of herself as a philanthropist, which for her conjures…
Lauren Goldstein, 43, believes every philanthropist needs their own journey and exploration of meaning. “Mine happened in two phases,” says Lauren. She gained “my own passion toward being Jewish” while in college at Tufts. “Within the first week of school, I met more Jews my age than I’d met in my whole life,” she says….
Elaura Rifkin Gerber, 28, believes everyone can be a philanthropist. “Organizations need both time and money,” says Elaura. “I was taught that even if you don’t have anything to financially contribute, you can always donate your time. In this way, I truly believe that everyone has the ability to become a philanthropist in their own…
(Photo by Molly Stark/Starklight Photography) Why is Lincoln High graduate Jared Blank, who was director of football operations for two Pac12 football teams, running marathon after marathon after marathon? The partial answer is because he has dyslexia. The whole answer is so much more. Jared might have seemed like your normal Portland kid if you…
By Deborah Moon During a women’s trip to Israel two years ago, Shoshana Gordon was very impressed by the transformative care that children with disabilities receive from Shalva. In March she will return to Israel to run in the Jerusalem Half Marathon to raise funds for the group. “This trip had such a profound effect…
When David Newman, 63, took his son, Seth, to Tanzania for a safari and a cultural safari, they expected to be moved by the grandeur of Africa’s wildlife. What David did not expect was that he would be so moved by the humans he met that he would come home to Portland and start a…
“Justice, justice shalt thou pursue.” ~Deuteronomy (16:20) While charitable giving conjures up thoughts of generosity and benevolence, in Judaism the concept is a commandment, an obligation. Helping the poor and needy is a duty in Judaism. Yet beyond fulfilling physical needs, as Jews we also strive to create a better, more just world for…
For 25 years, the Jewish Women’s Round Table has presented the Song of Miriam Award to women volunteers who actively support Jewish life. In June JWRT President Leslye Epstein welcomed 21 new honorees and a roomful of their supporters to this year’s Song of Miriam Brunch at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. “Over 400 women…
An ethical will is a document that is written to express someone’s deepest personal values in order to pass those along from one generation to the next. It is not legally binding. This practice, though it dates back to biblical and medieval times, resurfaced in the Jewish community around the 19th century and more recently…
Making the decision to write an ethical will can feel fulfilling, even empowering. However, sitting down and writing one can be truly challenging. The wonderful thing is that there is no right or wrong way to write an ethical will, and yours can be as simple or complex as you wish. (See accompanying article “What is…
