Real estate is a unique matter in Israel (isn’t everything?). And I should know – I bought land and built a home here. My previous experience with being a homeowner was buying a condo in Manhattan. Nothing very special in that – saw it, loved it, signed the papers, owned it. But in Israel? Oh!…
On Friday night, Dec. 12, 1941 – the first Shabbat after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor – Rabbi Henry J. Berkowitz offered words of comfort and inspiration to his congregation. “There is no question that all of us are entering the hardest period of our lives,” he told members of Portland’s Congregation Beth Israel,…
Dear Helen, Every time my parents come to visit something goes kaflooey. It’s like we are cursed. I have broken out in severe attacks of eczema. My husband had a car accident. Our daughter needed an emergency appendectomy. The water heater died. The cat died. That’s not all but I want you to keep reading….
David and Ronnie Malka opened Malka Diamonds & Jewelry about four years ago on Southwest Third Avenue, across the street from Tel Aviv Diamonds, which David’s father, Yossi Malka, has owned for 32 years. I spent an afternoon talking to the three about the family and the diamond business. What you will find is that…
Since the economy took a nosedive, I have witnessed and experienced a cooling-off period in fashion. Prior to 2008 when the economy was hot, dressing chic, accessorizing to the max and frivolous shopping spending were the norm. Since then, spending and dressing have become largely more practical as well as more creative, as we have…
If you own a personal residence, vacation home or commercial real estate that has appreciated over time, it’s possible to sell the property and increase income while getting as many tax advantages as possible. You can accomplish all of this and at the same time create your Jewish legacy for the organizations you care most…
The Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors, a nonprofit trade association for Realtors, provides two public service resources for the home-buying and home-selling public. HOWNW.com is a stand-alone website that covers the home buying and home-ownership experience, including the ABCs of home ownership, home-buying programs and much more. PMAR.org/green was developed by PMAR’s Sustainable Practices Committee…
Buying or selling a home can be one of the most stressful and expensive undertakings many people experience in their lifetimes. It’s like tiptoeing through a minefield. So proceed with caution, know the warning signs and find an experienced guide who knows where the dangers lie and can lead you safely through them. You’ll deal…
Family is still in town, and you’ve cooked up a storm for Hanukkah – who has time to make breakfast? Fortunately, Portland abounds with a variety of morning meals from stick to-your-ribs scrambles to dim sum. Delight your kids with a make-your-own pancakes outing or impress your elders with a breakfast fit for Julia Child….
I recently read the results of a survey on how much women spend on their clothing and was taken aback. On average, women spend $125,000 in their lifetime on their style! Roughly, the report continued, that works out to between $180 and $480 per month. That’s a lot of money each month! But that’s not…
