Feves finds birthright in Israel

By DEBORAH MOON

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Since a Birthright Israel trip last May rekindled her love of Shabbat candles and family traditions, Portland native Margot Feves has returned to Portland, reconnected with her Jewish community and now is leading a January Birthright trip to help other young adults connect with their heritage.

Taglit-Birthright Israel offers free trips for those 18-26 who never have been on a peer trip to Israel.

Though as a youth Feves was active at Congregation Neveh Shalom, B’nai B’rith Camp and B’nai B’rith Youth Organization, she said she was not involved in the Jewish communities of San Francisco (where she attended college) or Chicago, where she has lived the past four years. The daughter of Gloria and Jeff Hammer and Mike and Chris Feves, all of Portland, Feves said since returning to Portland to be closer to family, she has reconnected with the local Jewish community, including serving as a BBYO adviser.

“I treasure the memories of accompanying my Grandma Sadie Feves to services Saturday morning,” said Feves. “When I go to synagogue now I always try to sit in the same pew that she did … second row to the left.”

“After spending 10 very full days in Israel with 40 other Jewish 20-somethings I came home feeling much stronger about my Jewish identity,” she said. “Since returning from Israel and moving back to Portland, I have become more involved in Jewish activities and family traditions. I love lighting candles and welcoming the Shabbat just like my sister Jordana and I used to do with our Grandma Sadie.”

Now Feves hopes to help others have the same experience.

This month she leads a New York-based trip through Israel Experts, the same group she went with last May. She said she likes the Israel Experts trips because of the pluralistic political and religious tone and the strong emphasis on being outdoors, which offers time for reflection.

Feves said as a trip leader, she is responsible for participants’ safety enhancing their experience in Israel.

“I want to be able to enhance the participants’ experience by preparing them for emotional days like Yad Vashem and encourage them to make friends and talk with everyone in the group especially the group of Israelis that join our trip,” she said.

When Feves returned to Portland recently, she began her own business, “Dinner At Your Door,” which specializes in delivering healthy, homemade dinners. She said that members of the Jewish community have been very supportive and her best clients. (She can be contacted at Margotfeves@yahoo.com.)

Reflecting on her own experiences in Israel, Feves wrote: “During a reflection time in the Negev I decided I wanted to get a Chamsa tattoo that would always remind me of how I felt that day and in the holy land. I realize now that I do not need a tattoo to remind me; instead, I have Shabbat candles to light on Fridays, synagogues that welcome me, boker tov’s to say when I wake up and Israel to return to whenever I want.”