Volume 51, Issue 5
Local woman appointed to Board of Los Angeles School's Jewish Institute of Religion
Portland resident Adrienne Souther-Geffen has been appointed to the Los Angeles Board of Overseers of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. read more »
One-state solution means dissolution of Jewish homeland
It is the height of banality for any Jew to believe that peace will arrive by dissolving Israel into a so-called “democratic secular state encompassing Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip,” in what Gerson Robboy (Speaking of Unspeakables, Jewish Review, Oct. 16) describes as a multi-ethnic single state of Jews and Arabs. Unless, of course, his vision is the peace of the grave—the Jewish grave. read more »
Places and Spaces: Exploring what makes up the Jewish Tapestry
ROME (JTA)—We’ve all played the “Jewish geography” game—you know, questioning someone we’ve only just met in order to discover common Jewish connections, friends or even family. read more »
Election Day and the Millenials
WASHINGTON (JTA)—I am going to go out on a limb and make a prediction about this Tuesday's presidential election. It’s not about who will receive the most votes, so as not to jeopardize our organization’s nonpartisanship, but rather whose vote will have the greatest impact on the American body politic. read more »
When you want to fix the world, planning is important
What is important about money to you?
For many, the answer is the ability to give back to the community to make the world a better place. Jewish tradition focuses on the directive of tikkun olam—to “fix” the world, charitable giving can be a great place to start. read more »
MJCC celebrates 'Fiddler on the Roof'
The Mittleman Jewish Community Center will celebrate the classic Broadway musical “Fiddler on the Roof” Nov. 15 with an evening of music, fun and frivolity suitable for all ages beginning at 5:30 p.m. read more »
Lecture series revamped: fall schedule announced
In response to the evolution of Portland’s Jewish community, the Institute for Judaic Studies is revamping its annual Writers and Scholars Lecture Series to focus more on regional writers and scholars. read more »
Tay-Sachs Awareness Month in Oregon
Gov. Theodore Kulongoski has proclaimed November 2008 to be Tay-Sachs Awareness Month in Oregon. read more »
Popular dodgeball league returns for fourth season
Coed dodgeball for young Jewish adults sold out its frist three seasons, so Portland Jewish Events and Moishe House are bringing the league back with games starting Nov. 6. read more »
Adult foster home open to patients on ventilators
Of the 300 adult foster care homes in Vancouver, Wash., only one is equipped to handle ventilator care patients, and it is co-owned by a member of the Jewish Business Network in Vancouver. read more »
Corporate sponsors make events possible without tapping campaign
Stan Marcus knows corporate sponsors can make or break the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s major campaign events. That’s why when asked to take on the chair of the sponsorship committee, he said sure. read more »
Successful 4th Annual Sukkah draws 50
More than 50 children and teens walked to eight sukkahs during the fourth annual Sukkah Hop hosted by Portland Jewish Events on Oct. 14, the first day of Sukkot. read more »
Sports memorabilia auction Nov. 2
A silent auction begins at 3:30 p.m., followed by a live auction at 5 p.m. The auction will include items from Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Muhammed Ali, Larry Bird, Joe Namath, Bill Walton, Kobe Bryant, the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, and much more. read more »
Goebbels would have loved Ahmadinejad at U.N.
Albert Einstein once said, “The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” read more »
Planned gifts are good options, even in these times
When faced with financial challenges such as we are now, people across the economic spectrum are going be looking at ways to adjust their spending. read more »
History says stay the course, don't panic
“These are the times that try men’s souls.” These words, written by Thomas Payne in 1776 in his series of pamphlets “The American Crisis,” seem apropos for today’s American financial crisis. The year has been difficult at best as we have lurched from one dramatic event to the next. read more »
Eugene temple presents Israeli jazz artist
Temple Beth Israel in Eugene will present Israeli-born jazz saxophonist Idit Shner and her quartet in concert at the temple on Nov. 22. read more »
Ahavath Achim's Sephardic Film Festival begins Nov. 11
The second annual Sephardic Film Festival, which begins with a double feature Nov. 11, will focus on communities that have largely disappeared since the Holocaust and the creation of Israel. read more »
Auschwitz TV 'Trial' musters plenty of conviction
God’s existence and his responsibilities to the chosen people are abstract concepts to some people. For others, faith is a matter of the greatest importance. read more »
Temple Beth Israel brings Michael Chabon to Portland
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon will speak at Congregation Beth Israel in Portland read more »
Aaron Meyer's cosmopolitan music
Concert rock violin virtuoso Aaron Meyer is well known to Portland audiences as a vibrant performer, composer and arranger. read more »
Shaarie Torah races for the cure
Due to the high incidence of breast cancer among Jewish women, many synagogues have fielded teams through the years. read more »
Hillsboro sukkah draws crowd from Intel and around town
About 40-50 people (including adults and children) stopped by and were able to say the blessing on the four kinds in the sukkah, and then were able to enjoy the open buffet table. read more »
Clark County Chabad Center celebrates Sukkot with pickles
RABBI SHMULICK GREENBERG hands out cucumbers to (left to right) Elissa Munoz, Mendel Greenberg and Bella Ingream at a New-York-Kosher-Deli inspired dinner in the Chabad of Clark County Sukkah. read more »
New Businesses: Waltuck offers manicures at Mildred's Beauty Spot
The new salon was created in July by Waltuck’s friend Deb Beers, who named it after her mother. read more »
Menashe family reunion draws 139 to Portland
Though most live in Portland, many came from California, Washington and New York. The reunion brought together descendants of the seven Menashe brothers—Mordecai, Ruben, Simon, Albert, Joseph, Nessim and Jacob—who all came to Portland around the turn of the 20th century, settling in Portland building their businesses and families. read more »
Melton classes draw big, diverse audience
If you think the Florence Melton Adult Mini-school in Portland is just for seasoned veterans of active Jewish community life, think again. read more »
Univ. of Oregon's Jewish fraternity moves into famous house
The brothers of the Upsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi, North America’s Jewish Fraternity, started the new academic year in their new chapter house at the University of Oregon Campus in Eugene. read more »
Danishes dig deeper in time of crisis
When Carol and Sy Danish decided to double their gift to the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland Annual Campaign, it wasn’t because they have been untouched by the current economic crisis—it was because they believed others had been hit even harder. read more »
Federation groups bring noted speaker to town
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is part and parcel of broader issues, according to Dr. Jonathan Adelman, guest speaker at an Oct. 27 luncheon hosted by the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. read more »
Economy challenges non-profits
NEW YORK (JTA)—Harriet Mouchly-Weiss has a 2-foot tall stack of abject letters from nonprofit organizations telling her of their dire financial straits because of the economic meltdown. read more »
Neveh Shalom dedicates new, renovated facilities
Even as hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the dedication of Congregation Neveh Shalom’s new and improved spaces the weekend of Oct. 25-26, speakers at the event were already looking to the future. read more »
Jews looked past worries to embrace Obama
WASHINGTON (JTA) – For some Jewish voters, the strangeness of Barack Obama was like a recurring dream: unsettling and then settling in, and then, suddenly, revelatory. read more »
The Choosen: Jewish members of the 111th Congress
NEW YORK (JTA)— The following is a list of the 45 Jewish members —13
senators and 32 representatives — who will serve in the 111th U.S.
Congress that convenes in January read more »
Why Jews voted for Obama
DALLAS (JTA) -- This year, once again, the Jewish community overwhelmingly supported the Democratic nominee for president. With the election of Barack Obama, Jewish voters selected a candidate who, despite an unprecedented smear campaign, represents the values of our community. read more »
