Fete Rosenfelds' rich volunteer lives May 24
By Paul Haist
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Eve and Alan Rosenfeld both grew up in Portland.
Eve—then Eve Overback—graduated from Lincoln High School, Alan from Grant.
The two high schools are traditional rivals and have been for decades. But that didn't keep Eve and Alan apart.
The partnership created by their marriage in 1953 has endured for more than half a century and, along the way, created a lot of good for a lot people here.
The couple will be honored at a dinner banquet on Wednesday, May 24, at the Benson Hotel where they will be presented the 2006 Rabbi Joshua Stampfer Community Enrichment Award.
The Rosenfelds, like the Rabbi Stampfers of the world, lead rich and busy lives that cause many others to scratch their heads in wonder at how someone can manage to do so much.
"They don't all happen at once. You just make time, decide this is what you're going to do," Eve explained, as if it were the simplest thing in the world to have a busy professional life, a full and rich family life, an active social life and time-consuming volunteer responsibilities.
Alan also downplays what he and Eve have done.
"The kinds of activities we've been involved in the last 10 years have been because we haven't been working," he said.
Both are retired from their careers now, but they started volunteering almost a half century ago in the 1960s, when their retirement was only a barely perceptible shore just peeking over a distant horizon, a passage that would require many years.
Eve, who graduated from the University of Oregon and pursued additional studies in social work at Columbia University, went to work in the 1950s as a caseworker with the Children's Services Division of what was then called Multnomah County Public Welfare.
By the 1960s she was president of the Jewish Family and Child Service here, a volunteer post. Also in the 1960s, she was a PTA president, a district campaign director for United Way, a board member with the Jewish Federation of Portland, secretary of the Robison Jewish Home Sisterhood and the financial secretary of the local National Council of Jewish Women.
In the next decade she chaired the Portland Public Schools Area 2 Advisory Committee, was secretary of Schools for the City, and chaired the Jewish federation's women's campaign.
In the 1980s Eve served on the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, was vice president of the Congregation Beth Israel Sisterhood, served on the Beth Israel board, the Jewish Review Committee and was active with Volunteers for Israel and Northwest Portland Ministries.
There's more.
In the 1990s Eve was named to the boards of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation and Cedar Sinai Park. She also was an overnight host at the Goose Hollow Family Shelter, an English tutor in the Russian resettlement program and she helped prepare newly arrived Russian seniors for their citizenship exams.
The turn of the century did not slow her down.
Today, Eve Rosenfeld is a volunteer reading tutor, a member of the Beth Israel Sisterhood board, the Goose Hollow Shelter board, a volunteer driver for Northwest Portland Ministries, a Loaves and Fishes volunteer, a Washington Park host and rose cutter, while in her spare time on Shabbat she helps lead services at the Robison Jewish Health Center.
Alan left Stanford University to fly 34 missions as a bombardier over Europe in World War II. When he came home, he finished his studies in chemical engineering at the University of Washington and began a career in the pulp and paper industry.
But that wasn't enough.
A young father, Alan volunteered with the Boy Scouts and the Jewish federation. He took part in an Israeli army volunteer program, joined his wife in tutoring Russian immigrants and also tutored young people working to earn a general equivalency high school diploma.
Alan also joined Eve 20 years ago to start delivering Meals on Wheels, which he and his wife still do.
He has served on various boards including those of the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, Temple Beth Israel and Loves and Fishes, where he still serves on various committees and helped raise the funds for the services' new kitchen and administration building in Multnomah Village.
For 15 years he has helped organize the annual Christmas dinner sponsored by Northwest Portland Ministries
Alan has volunteered for the last 13 years with the adult day-care centers at the MJCC and the Robison, where he uses his musical gift as a therapy tool.
When he's not playing music as senior therapy, he's a violinist with the Jewish Community Orchestra.
He share's Eve's interest in gardening and takes part with her as a Washington Park Rose Garden volunteer.
The Rosenfelds have made a life of giving and giving back. And it's not as if they had nothing else to do. They also raised four children, one of whom they lost.
The couple seems proud of what they have done, but also seem a little reluctant about stepping into the spotlight.
"It's more to set an example," said Eve, "to be mentors for younger volunteers, while also being willing to step aside for younger people to take leadership."
Setting an example is clearly important to both Eve and Alan.
Also, however, there is evidence of awe at what their experience has allowed them to witness, as well as a shared and profound satisfaction in helping others.
For example, today Alan volunteers with the Center Peace program, now at Robison, for seniors who have developed dementia.
"It opened my eyes to the problems people almost my age were having to go through," he said. "It broadened my perspective on what people really need."
Eve spoke of satisfaction.
"We've seen the development of so many agencies. They never could have happened without the volunteers," she said.
"One of the most satisfying things I've seen in this community is the resettlement program," she added, referring to the influx several years ago of Jews from the former Soviet Union. "It was just amazing, the combined efforts of the professionals and the volunteers."
The couple mentioned one other consequence of volunteering.
"There's a lot of great people you meet," said Alan.
Eve agreed. "You meet people with shared interests you'd never meet otherwise."
And finally, it's Jewish, but it's not just Jewish.
"We're Jewish and have Jewish concerns," said Eve. "But we are part of the Portland community and we have a responsibility to that community."