warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/jreview/jewishreview.org/includes/bootstrap.inc:3) in /home/jreview/jewishreview.org/includes/common.inc on line 141.

Women’s discussion group begins third year

By Jewish Review

article created on:

Portland Hadassah begins the third session of its Machon discussion group with a completely new type of curriculum focusing on personal recollections of Jewish women in America.

“We’ll be using curricula from the Jewish Women’s Archive, an organization that chronicles the history of Jewish women in America,” said Deborah Popper, who brought the program to Portland. “We want to welcome others in the community to join us since the discussion is always better with different experiences to add to the mix.”

The group has two meeting times available: second Sunday of the month at 10 a.m.-noon, beginning Sept. 14; or the third Wednesday of the month at 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., beginning Sept. 17. Each group will meet seven times in the Hadassah office in Multnomah Village.

Using articles from the Jewish Women’s Archive, the monthly group will explore the following topics: Henrietta Szold on Saying Kaddish; Ray Frank’s (known as the “Girl Rabbi of the olden West”) Yom Kippur Sermon, 1890; Jewish diversity and innovation: The view from the kitchen; Lilith Evolved: Writing Midrash; Hurricane Katrina: Community Responsibility and Tikkun Olam; Wrestling with God and Jewish Tradition; and A Young American Jew in Israel, 1947-1948. The articles for each discussion can be viewed at www.jwa.org.

Popper said the new curriculum was chosen based on interests expressed by women in the two previous series.

“Machon participants said they wanted to do more on Jewish women, so I started looking around for it,” said Popper. “JWA has interesting materials with a different perspective.”

Shuli Rutzick said she was the youngest woman in her Machon group last year.

“I loved it,” she said. “There were women from 30 to 80-something and everyone had their own perspective of their generation. It was funny. It was like a woman’s support group and a discussion group.”

Michelle Suffian-Chilton said she’s already signed up for the next session.

“I like meeting all the women,” she said. “And I enjoy the topics—they are so open and broad. Everyone’s opinions and ideas are welcomed and encouraged.”

The Machon group is free to members of Hadassah. Newcomers are welcome to try one session free and if they like it, they can continue by paying the $36/year Hadassah dues.

For details, contact Hadassah at 503-244-6389 or info@portlandhadassah.org.