PHOTO: Song of Miriam 2019 Honorees: (Front standing) Cheryl Richards; (from left, seated) Sarah Orzech, Beit Am Corvallis; Marissa Richardson, Congregation Neveh Shalom; Andrea Sanchez, Mittleman Jewish Community Center; Liz Stanley, Congregation Shaarie Torah Sisterhood, Linda Veltman, Oregon Jewish Museum & Center for Holocaust Education; Abbey Vanderbeek, Temple Beth Shalom, Salem; Jennifer Zeidman, Portland Jewish…
PHOTOS: Above, the formal installation of P’nai Or Rabbi Hannah Laner featured symbols and metaphors from the marriage ceremony. At right: From left, P’nai Or of Portland Hazzan Bruce Morris, Rabbi Hannah Laner and President Alan Hanawalt bring the congregation’s Torah to its new home May 2. During her first interview with P’nai Or…
Regional security advisor hired Gene Moss will officially begin his position as regional security advisor on May 13. Moss will work under the direction of the Secure Community Network and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. The advisor will coordinate with federal, state and local law enforcement, nonprofit, public, private and other stakeholder organizations on…
On Purim people gather to hear “the Megillah,” also known as the Book of Esther, which tells how the Jews in ancient Persia were saved from the wicked Haman through the leadership of Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai. When the name of Haman is read, people stomp their feet, hiss, boo or shake noisemakers…
Michael Jeser leaves Portland to head San Diego Federation Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s Michael Jeser has been named president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego. Michael has served JFGP as director of financial resource development for the past 2½ years. Michael concluded his work at JFGP on July 27. “Michael has…
This Shavuot, P’nai Or once again can celebrate the giving of the Torah in a very concrete way. “The most interesting part was how bashert it all was,” says Bruce Morris, Congregation P’nai Or’s spiritual leader. Like a perfect storm, events lined up. Bruce was off to a rabbinical conference with a strained voice and…
The P’nai Or Community Food Program is a match made in heaven, right here in this world. In the old days of Jewish South Portland, it was told that before every Shabbat a gentleman would fill a bag to be shared with his neighbors. As he went from house to house, residents could either take…
