Almost from the moment Jews arrived in Oregon, they have sought to meet the spiritual needs of the community. The first Jewish New Year services in the Oregon Territory were held in 1856 in the gold-rush boomtown of Jacksonville in southern Oregon, where German-Jewish immigrants had moved from the California gold fields. During the…
By Lauren Isaacs The new Netflix series, “My Unorthodox Life,” is a reality show about a former religious Jewish woman and her family, and the current secular lives that they live. The show’s main character describes her harrowing journey from religious Jew in a somewhat closed community to entrepreneur, model agent aficionado, and all-around…
Photo: Rabbi Laurie Rutenberg teaching a class during the Fall 2018 Session. Introduction to Judaism is an 18-week course taught by members of The Oregon Board of Rabbis, representing a variety of Jewish affiliation. A carefully constructed curriculum includes Jewish history, life cycle events, holidays, ritual and daily practice, theology, study of Torah and contemporary…
It’s a gifted writer who can take a subject that we feel is totally familiar and present it in a fresh way that’s not only enlightening and informative, but a joyful read as well. Rabbi Maurice Harris, formerly associate rabbi at Eugene’s Temple Beth Israel, brings to his writing the same mix of wit and…
