Correspondence
By
To the editor:
Many months ago Rabbis Laurie and Gary Ruttenberg-Schoenberg of Gesher called me to officiate as a Mohel at the brit of newborn. The child was born to a struggling family to whom the rabbis had opened their home.
What started as a professional relationship soon became a full-care project for the Kollel. As with others with needs that the Kollel has come to help, we ‘adopted’ this family.
About three or four months ago this family was again homeless. We worked tirelessly to get them a place to stay. This wonderful community came through. For several weeks, homes in the community were opened to them until proper housing could be found.
Unfortunately, difficult circumstances forced the family and the Oregon Department of Human Services to decide that it would be best for the children to be fostered until the family could become more stable. As painful as that decision was, we now needed to find the children a family.
I was on the way to Seattle, for a Shabbaton retreat where I was to lecture. Rabbi and Meira Spivak, also of the Kollel, were running a youth Shabbat. All of us were scrambling.
We made some phone call and sent some e-mails.
And then calls started coming in. They didn’t stop all weekend. With the help of e-mails from many rabbis and community leaders to their congregations, more than 50 concerned members of the community called to help.
Nearly 30 families offered to open their hearts and homes to these children.
When I related this to the DHS caseworker, she was amazed. This is indeed an unprecedented response of care and lovingkindness.
It is often noted how much observances and affiliations divides us. I am very proud to note how much our concern and care unite us.
We are truly glad and proud to be a part of this community.
Thank you all so much.
Rabbi Tzvi Fischer
The Portland Kollel
To the editor:
Thank you for the very positive article on the plight of Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon, and the visits of Lea Malul, public relations director of that beleaguered institution and Efrat Algressy, the strategic advisor to Barzilai Hospital’s CEO.
It was unfortunate that Leah and Efrat came on short notice, and were not able to meet with more members of our community.
Nonetheless, fundraisers organized in support of Barzilai Hospital by the Portland-Ashkelon Sister City Association raised modest contributions, and both women were pleased they had come.
They appreciated having strengthened the connection with the Portland-Ashkelon Sister City Association while learning more about advocacy for Israel in Portland’s Jewish and Christian communities.
They had an opportunity to meet with Mayor Potter’s director of international affairs, as well as with the Portland Office of Emergency Management, dealing with the problems of terrorism and emergencies within the city.
They also visited with Charlie Schiffman of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, whom they described as gracious and helpful, and with Steve Marx, representing Congressman David Wu.
Wu has expressed a strong interest in visiting Israel, Ashkelon and Barzilai. To accommodate his interest and that of other public figures PASCA is planning an Israel tour for next winter.
Interested readers should contact me for more information (tamarboussi@hotmail.com).
Tamar Boussi, President
PASCA
To the editor:
I was pleased by the preview of the film “Aviva My Love” in the April 1 Arts and Leisure section of the Jewish Review.
As a member of Portland’s observant Jewish community, you can imagine my disappointment to find out that this film was being screened only on Saturday, April 12th, well before the end of the Sabbath.
This precluded my attendance at this screening, as well as attendance by any member of Portland’s Sabbath observant community.
It may be that the festival schedule is a carryover from the period up until two years ago, when Daylight Savings Time started late in April. That old schedule would have allowed observant people to attend 7 p.m. screenings on Saturday evenings.
I urge you, as a film festival cosponsor, to petition the festival organizers to reconsider the Saturday night screening time, given that Sabbath no longer ends until after 8 p.m. in early April.
Many thanks in advance for your consideration.
Shani Fox
Multnomah Village