For more than a decade, the Women’s Day of Jewish Learning has annually brought together a diverse group of women to study and explore Jewish texts with a nosh. This year Rabbi Dara Frimmer, of Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles, will help women “re-encounter the classic story of Esther retold through a contemporary lens.”“Rosh Hodesh,…
For young adults, going off to college can be a thrilling journey into the unknown. As exciting and liberating as that journey can be, it can also be a disorienting shift, and having a home away from home can be a big help. For many Jewish students, Hillel is that home. The largest Jewish campus…
Since the majority of teenagers take driver’s ed and many college- bound students take SAT prep courses, Portland’s NCSY now offers both courses specifically for Jewish teens. “Jewish Driver’s Ed and Jewish SAT Prep were designed for Jewish teens to meet each other without additional scheduling conflicts,” says Meira Spivak, NCSY’s Oregon teen programming director….
About a year ago, I moved to Portland from New York with my husband, George, and son, Liam. George and I quickly became overwhelmed researching childcare facilities and preschools for our son. Some schools maintain waiting lists that rival those of New York, while others were prohibitively expensive. I knew that we wanted our very…
When the MJCC “celebrates champions and honors everyday athletes” at its annual dinner next month, it will be celebrating both its history and its important role in Jewish community life. Founded in 1914 as the B’nai B’rith Building and now known as the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, the “J” – its shortest moniker – has…
“We have a special obligation from our history and our perspective as Americans and as Jews that should align us with the interests of immigrants and make us struggle against anti-immigrant sentiment.” Strong words, but if you want wishy-washy talk about this controversial subject, don’t ask Portland resident Rebecca Shine what she thinks or those…
Unlike the reaction Ed Asner received when he tried to introduce Heifer International to his rabbi, Portland synagogues have long supported that charity’s efforts to end poverty and hunger. This year Asner helped launch Heifer at Hanukkah and Congregation Shaarie Torah accepted the challenge to raise funds to buy a heifer. When Shaarie Torah Education…
In recognition of the unprecedented transfer of inherited wealth and responsibility for philanthropic funds, the Jewish Federations of North America picked 22 communities, including Portland, for a program to train professionals to engage the next generation of donors. The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland selected Associate Executive Vice President Laurie Rogoway to participate in the…
Oregon Jewish Life asked three Oregon rabbis in 2012, “How can Jewish or interfaith families turn their “December dilemma” into a positive, meaningful experience for children?” Rabbi Benjamin Barnett Beit Am Jewish Community, Corvallis (Editor’s Note: In August 2017, Rabbi Barnett became rabbi of Portland’s Havurah Shalom) The phrase “December dilemma” itself reflects the heart…
About 30 years ago, Ed Asner tried and failed to convince his rabbi about the importance of Heifer International, so he narrated a documentary to convince others of the project’s unique benefits. This year he was joined by Royal Pains star Mark Feuerstein to create a Heifer at Hanukkah video to encourage other Jews to…
