is to ensure an academically excellent environment in which children thrive. Portland Jewish Academy nurtures and inspires positive Jewish engagement, kavod/respect for human and religious differences, and responsibility for the world in which we live.
September 2024
Elul 5784
Dear Friends of PJA,
We are pleased to present Portland Jewish Academy’s Annual Report for the 2023-24/5784 fiscal year. We are fond of saying that PJA students and alumni “Think for Themselves and Work for the World,” and this was evident in many ways throughout the year. PJA’s service programs have benefited individuals in our community, our region, our country and around the world. We could not have accomplished all that we did without the generous philanthropic support of the extended PJA community. This report highlights the impact of those gifts and celebrates all that our school has achieved in the past year.
The outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War was a devastating blow to the worldwide Jewish community. Our school responded in numerous ways, inside and outside of the classroom, and we were inspired to create a schoolwide art project, “Doves of Peace & Hope.” We continue to pray for peace in Israel and throughout the region. Various other projects brought our community together to address additional needs. For example, our new affiliation with the Adamah Climate Coalition enabled us to launch a composting program to help address climate change. Our 7th graders completed several service projects during their trip to Los Angeles, and our 8th graders pursued individual passions in their selection of capstone service projects. Our on-campus “Work for the World Fair” and donation drives supported numerous local agencies.
Our success throughout the year was possible because of you – our generous donors. We saw a remarkable 155% increase in Annual Fund participation by school families, enabling us to support our faculty with outstanding professional development opportunities. We were able to award over $800,000 in need-based financial assistance to ensure that no one is denied a PJA education due to lack of financial resources. As always, philanthropic grants and gifts to our operating and endowment funds were essential to achieve these goals.
The Annual PJA Auction was a big success, with community members celebrating our school at “Game Night.” Every gift and sponsorship is meaningful and appreciated. The Auction is the primary source of funds for financial assistance, and it also generates reserve funds that allow the school to address strategic priorities. In addition, the Auction has grown the school’s endowment, building a stream of revenue to support PJA in perpetuity.
Your generous support has an impact on each student every day, and it ensures a promising future for PJA. Thank you for your partnership.
B’shalom,
Steve Albert
Nadine Gartner
Merrill Hendin Executive Director Board President Principal
Service Projects
PEACE DOVES & POSTCARDS
In response to the October 7th terrorist attack in Israel, our Kehillah created Doves of Peace and Hope, a school-wide art project. The entire PJA community, from Early Childhood to Middle School, was invited to write a message and fold it into an origami dove. The final installation was hung in the PJA lobby, and included 900+ blue and white doves and the Hebrew word “Shalom” (peace) made up of paper lotuses and origami doves.
COMPOST PROJECT
Our students were taught all about composting and its impact on reducing waste and enriching soil. Through our partnership with the Adamah Climate Coalition and workshops and classroom sessions, students had hands-on experience with collecting food scraps from the small compost bins stationed around the school, and moving them to the composter on the school grounds. Each week they weighed the total amount of food collected to calculate how much compost would be generated over the course of the year.
WORK FOR THE WORLD FAIR
This past February we hosted over 100 attendees at PJA’s Work for the World Fair, an event inspired by the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Every adult and child in attendance made a difference in our local and global community by helping with projects for local non-profits such as Community Warehouse, Portland Backpack, Cedar Sinai Park, Blanchet House, and Positive Charge PDX!
BOTTLE DROP
Kehillah chairs once again initiated the school wide participation in the Bottle Drop program. This project encourages students to collect recyclable bottles and containers for credit and cash that can be used for school projects and materials. Students continue to help keep Oregon beautiful and are proud to contribute to one of the most effective recycling programs in the nation.
TZEDEK L.A. TRIP
In early May, PJA 7th graders headed to Los Angeles for incredible experiences and a transformative journey with Tzedek America. Through meaningful interactions, discussions about our Jewish values, and collaborative efforts with local non-profits and social enterprises, students were allowed a window into people experiencing poverty, homelessness and loss. The trip was aimed at instilling empathy and a drive for social justice in our students.
DONATION DRIVES
• New School Supplies & Backpacks (Schoolhouse Supplies)
• New & Like New Clothing for Children and Teens (PTA Clothing Center)
• Thanksgiving Food Box Items (Jewish Family & Child Service)
• New Toys, Games & Gift Cards (Ronald McDonald House and Outside In)
• New Socks (Janus Youth Programs and Path Home Family Shelter)
• Weekend Meal Sack Items (Portland Backpack)
• Pots, Pans, & Pillows for Purim (Community Warehouse)
• Styrofoam & Corks for Recycling
• New Art Supplies & New or Like New Children’s Board Books (Children’s Healing Art Project and With Love Oregon)
PJA’s 62nd “Game Night” Auction took place on December 10, the fourth night of Hanukkah, and brought 250 people together for a night of games, contests and prizes. The highly anticipated costume contest saw Monopoly characters, the cast of Clue and even a dreidel! Generous matches from The Jay and Diane Zidell Charitable Foundation and Steve “Rosy” Rosenberg and Ellen Lippman boosted our totals in a significant way, and we truly couldn’t have exceeded our fundraising goal without the generosity of these two families.
54% STUDENTS RECEIVING FINANCIAL AID
155% INCREASE IN ANNUAL FUND PARTICIPATION
$838,598 AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL AID GIVEN TO FAMILIES STUDY RESPONSIBILITY
“PJA taught me how to be respectful, encouraged responsibility, and I developed a sense of community and appreciation for the world around me.”
— Ryan Bernstein (Alum)
RESPECT
100+ POUNDS OF FOOD COMPOSTED BY STUDENTS
“It’s the PJA teachers and specialists who set the positive tone for the community and who are steadfast in their commitment to making mensches.”
— Mike Khavul & Gina Westhoff (Parents)
900+PAPER PEACE DOVES FOLDED
COMMUNITY
“Students learn critical thinking skills as they discover their identities, identify their values, and figure out how Jewish learning can help them find their unique voice and lead them to make this world a better place.”
— Amy Katz (Director of
Jewish Life & Learning)
IDENTITY
5.1% REDUCTION IN ELECTRICITY USE
APPRECIATION
THE AMOUNT OF FOSSIL FUELS SAVED THROUGH THE COMPOST PROJECT EQUATES TO ABOUT 6,600 MILES DRIVEN IN A CAR
Financials
Revenue
Tuition: 80%
Contributions & Fundraisers: 11%
Investments: 2%
Federation Allocation: 2%
Government Grants: 5%
Expenses
Personnel: 83%
Occupancy: 10%
Office Administration: 3%
Student Expenses: 4%
Portland Jewish Academy is a proud beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland and is proud of our partnership with them in strengthening our local Jewish community and greater Portland community.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 24-25
Nadine Gartner President
Jason Zidell Immediate Past President
John Emshwiller Vice President of Facilities
David Solondz Vice President of Strategy
Richard Barker Treasurer
Naomi Harwin
Secretary
Eric Brickenstein
Nicole Frisch
Marni Glick
Arielle Goranson
Chris Hathaway
Martha Izenson
Michelle Kashinsky
Danelle Romain
Nate Smith
Sandra Valle
Tamar Wyte-Lake
Animal Aid PDX
SERVICE LEARNING PARTNERS
Blanchet House
Cat Adoption Team
Cedar Sinai Park
Community Warehouse
Cork Forest Conservation Alliance
Dougy Center
Focus on Youth’s Sunflower Farm
Free Food Mercado
Friends of Fanno Creek Headwaters
James Recycling
Jewish Family & Child Service
Kindness Farm
Meals on Wheels People
Neighborhood House
Free Food Market
Neighborhood House
Head Start Preschool
Never Again Coalition
New Avenues for Youth
Oregon Dog Rescue
Oregon Jewish Museum and
Holocaust Resource Center
Path Home
P:ear
PERIOD.
Portland Backpack
Portland Diaper Bank
Project Linus
Ronald McDonald House
Charities of Oregon
Rose Haven Day Shelter and Community Center
Schoolhouse Supplies
Stone Soup
StreetBooks
Transition Projects
WaterStrong Initiative
Westside Watershed Resource Center
Our Donors
$100,000 & Above
Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Rosenberg/Lippman Family Fund of OJCF
State of Oregon
Jay and Diane Zidell Charitable Foundation
$25,000 - $99,999
Arthur P. Krichevsky Memorial Scholarship Fund of OJCF
Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Family Fund of OJCF / Jordan Schnitzer
OCF Joseph E. Weston Public Foundation
$10,000 - $24,999
Martin Elias
William Frank
Chuck Karsun Memorial Fund of OJCF
Jerry and Helen Stern Grandchildren’s Fund of OJCF
Alexander Hess
Harrison Hess
Anna Kodesch
Binyamin Singer
Jonathan Singer
Diane and Jay Zidell
$5,000 - $9,999
Anonymous (2)
Judy and Ron Appelbaum
Rosalind Babener
Jonathan Glass and Sarah Kahn Glass Fund
Priscilla and Tony Kostiner
Nike, Inc.
Robert and Rita Philip Family Fund of OJCF
Gayle Schnitzer Romain Fund of OJCF
Diane and David Rosencrantz
Jason E Zidell Foundation
Portland Jewish Academy is enormously grateful to the individuals and community organizations that support our programs by contributing to the school. Please allow us to take this opportunity to thank each donor for all that they do for PJA. We have made our best effort to ensure the accuracy of this list. If you find an error, please notify Bess Butterworth, Development Events & Community Programs Manager, at bbutterworth@pjaproud.org or 503.452.3427.
$2,500 - $4,999
Ellie and Dan Albert
Jo Ann and Tom Hornsten
Judith and Garry Kahn
Sheri Katz and Joel Mullin
Dede Meyer
Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, Inc.
Elizabeth and Jordan Rice
Jennifer and Ariel Rogson
Stan and Madelle Rosenfeld Family Donor Advised Fund
Leonard and Lois Schnitzer Charitable Supporting Foundation of OJCF
Sarah and Ryan Scott
Steven D. Wasson
The Wollenberg Family
Vicki Zidell
$1,800 - $2,499
Anonymous (3)
Adamah, Inc.
Steve Albert and Janie Goldenberg
Carol J. Danish
Ron and Becky Eiseman
Nadine Gartner and Benjamin Olds
Merrill and Perry Hendin
Intel Foundation
Northwest Forensic Institute, LLC
Michael and Gloria Olds Donor Advised Funds
Angie Reat and Matt Berson
Jeff Reingold
Janet and Larry Richards
Elayne and Len Shapiro
Shlachter Family Fund of OJCF
Mara and Rob Shlachter
Jackie Solondz
Esther and Sandy Stadtler
Sharon Stern and Steve Rallison
Vivian and Howard Wasserteil
$500 - $1,799
Anonymous (9)
Sonia Acharya and Robert Litt
Asarnow Baillet Family Fund
Autodesk Inc.
Alan Bacharach, ChFC
Ashley and Elliot Bachaumard
Jules and Jessica Bailey
Nancy and David Barbour
Rebecca and Edward Bard
Bonnie and Jonathan Barg
Kelly and Richard Barker
Bastacky Hockenheimer Donor Advised Fund
Julie and Cliff Hockley
Birnbach CGA Endowed Fund for PJA of OJCF
Gerry Birnbach
Jack Birnbach
Sarah and Marc Blattner
Lynne and Mitch Cohen
Congregation Beth Israel
The Drucker Family
Eileen Eisenberg and Marc Kashinsky z”l
Ceal and Asher Ettinger
Remembrance Fund of OJCF
Ari Ettinger
Joyce and John Evans
Feinblatt Trust
Michael and Chris Feves Family Fund of OJCF
The Fischer Family
Irene Fischer-Davidson
Brauna and Marvin Fortgang
Kate and Bruce Frederick
The Frisch-Maharg Family
Jen Garreau and Greg Rosenblatt
Jennifer Gates and Jeffrey Armistead
Augusta Gelfand
Beth and John Germain
Rozelle and Richard Gilman
Philanthropic Fund of DJCF
Robert Gitelson, LCSW
The Goranson Family
The Greenberg/Seal Family
The Gruenberg/Tatarka Family
Hachler Investments, LLC
Hamburger Family Charitable Trust
The Harper Family
Naomi and Sam Harwin
Heyman Family Fund of OJCF
Sue Hickey and Sheldon Klapper
The Hilbert Family
David Karlin Family Fund of OJCF
Michelle, Josh, Rosie, and Fiona Kashinsky
Janice and Stephen Katz
The Ellen M. and Peter M. Klein Foundation Inc.
Eileen “ikie” Nolan Kressel
The La Forte Family
The Lake Family
Stacey Lebenzon
Louise and Allen Levin
Amy Lifson
Ruth Lindemann
Judy Margles and Steve Wasserstrom
Meytal Markman and Patrick Tobin
Sarah McCully-Posner and Michael Posner
The Merck Foundation
Beth and Jonas Merrill
Stacie and Adam Mishcon
Sara Morton and Alex Millkey
Moss Adams
Opher Nadler and Michael Mackey
Barbara Newmark
Dale Oller
Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative
Carole and Howard Ory
Linda and Michael Osherow
Judy Ossello and Joshua Schwartz
Helen Tieger, a proud Grandmother
Lisa Rackner and Joseph Wolf
Law Office of Ariel S. Rogson, P.C.
Danelle Romain and RD Symms
Pam and Stan Rotenberg
Benjamin L. and Victoria S. Russell
Charitable Fund of OJCF
Diane Russell
Melinda Russell
Susan Russell Andrews
Bunny and Jerry Sadis
Erika Saiers
Gaye and Bruce Schafer
Hannah Schafer and Dor Mishory
Stephanie and Andrew Schlesinger
The Schrank Family
Lisa Schroeder and Rob Sample
Patricia and Richard Schwartz
Gail and Joel Semler
Keren and Nimrod Shuall
Jessica Simon
Mort Simon
Simply Smiles Dental
Leonard Simpson
Ellen Singer and Eamon Molloy
Linda and Gary Singer
Claire and Meir Stampfer
The Standard Employee Giving Program
Steinberg Investment Group
Eve Stern and Les Gutfreund
Tanasbourne Veterinary Emergency
Chaim Vanek and Julie Graff
Wagner Family Charitable Fund at Vanguard Charitable
Marjorie and Roy Weiner
Gina Westhoff and Mike Khavul
Wholistic Peace Institute-Educating for Peace
Carolyn Wooden-Johnson
Deborah Yaeger and John Emshwiller
Emily and Andrew Yeomans
Zeidman Family Fund of OJCF
The Zeitzer Family
Charlene Zidell
Joyce and Larry Zutz
$250 - $499
Anonymous (10)
Albrecht and Gloria J. Bacharach Memorial Fund of OJCF
Brooke Barker and Boaz Frankel
Margery Cohn
The Dorfman Family
Edith Dorsen
Education+
Anna Epstein and Nate Smith
Becky and Greg Ewer
Jen and Howard Feldman
JD Fulwiler & Co. Insurance
Karen Gibbins
Lisa Gitelson
Glick-Kaplan Family Fund of OJCF
Marni Glick and Hank Kaplan
Julie Graff
Wendy Gutmann and Jeff Menashe
Haglund Kelley LLP
Holman’s Funeral Service
The Kahns
Ruth and Ron Katon
Amy and Jeff Katz
Margarita and Mikhail Khavul
KLA Foundation
Laurie and Jason Leinwand
Beth Lifson and Michael Johnson
Monica Litt and Judd Eustice
Gail Mandel and Steven Klein
Jacob Mandelsberg
Richard and Judith Matza Family Fund of OJCF
Lora and Jim Meyer Family Fund of OJCF
Lisa Newman Eckstein and Jerome Eckstein
Ben and Avital O’Glasser
Jane and Larry O’Glasser
The Oregon Jewish Community Foundation
Sandra Oster
Ella Ostroff Memorial Endowment Fund of OJCF
Mick Ostroff
Liz and Brett Phillips
Portland General Electric Co.
Posen/Gilman Family Fund of OJCF
Arlene and Irving Potter
Rakuten Americas
Carol S. Richmond Donor Advised Philanthropic Fund
Marti and John Rosenthal
Becky and Kyle Rotenberg
Kenneth Rothenberg
Karen Saks and Kyle Jensen
Denise and Jamie Shulman
Terri Simon
Charlotte and Isaac Tevet
Beth Zilberman
$100 - $249
Anonymous (18)
Lesley and Michael Alter
Bonnie Altshuld
Kathryn and Sean Adries
Elizabeth Aronoff and Doug Crummé
Stacy Barna
Sean Bartlett and Brandon Chateauvert
Ariel and David Beauhaire
Mindy Becker
Vivian and David Blum
Michelle Bobowick
Natalie Boodin
Richard Boyd
Trevor Bryant
Julianna and Daniel Burlingame
Carla Caynon
CGC Financial Services, LLC
Nathan Cogan
The Collier Family
Sharee and Stan Conner
Wendy and Howard David
Alexandra Dimitrova
Tsvia and Tamir Faclieru
Nancy W. Frisch
Yael and Luis Garcia
Gordon Family Endowment Fund of JCF San Diego
Kira and Gennady Govshtein
Sandy and Jack Gruenberg
Susy and Dan Herlinger
Lesley Isenstein and Steve Laveson
Lucas Jones and Family
Gabrielle and Eli Josephson
The Kass Family
Lisa Katon and Noah Kressel
Sue Katz
The Kinast Family
Tammy Kramer
Abby and Eric Krause
Crystal Lamb and Jason Zidell
Lowell Lebenzon
Sandra Lewis and James Rosenbaum
Jayne and Rick London
Shanny and Yacov Magnezi
Jemi and Greg Mansfield
Maria and Steve Marks
The McLeod Family
Natan Meir
The Mellman Family
Toinette and Victor Menashe
Fred Meyer
Curt Morgan
Allison Mudrick
Darren Murtaugh
James and Mary Beth Muscarella
Margie Myska
The Perrin Family
Judy Presberg
Lauren and Teddy Presberg
Erica and Jeff Press
Molly and Joel Rabinovitz
Jeffrey Richmond
Marc Richmond M.D. Donor
Advised Philanthropic Fund
Iris and Marty Ricks
Gayle and Paul Romain
Samuel Rosenberg
Judith and Norman Rosenbloom
Michal and Boaz Rozenhaimer
The Sapoznikow Family
Ilene and Jerry Schlesinger
Joan Schnitzer
Ariel Shattan and Philip Jansen
Ali and Maverick Shelton
Sherman Family Tzedakah
Aaron Vijai Shukla
Eddy Shuldman and Jeff Edmundson
Ashley and Aaron Simpson
Molly and Paul Sloan
Paul Smelkinson
Lily and Joshua Stadtler
Mary and Lance Steinberg
Marisa Stribling
Debbie Sweeney
Texas Instruments Foundation
Harriet Wingard
Tatiana Zawadzki
Under $100
Anonymous (21)
Francine and Mark Abolofia
Gina Alongi and David Herman
Sandi Anslow
Jennifer Antick and Eric Oslund
Betsy Bailey
Hillary Barbour and Zachary Traasdahl
Betsy Bergstein
Leslie Berman
Chris and Christopher Blakemore
The Boshes Family
Marcie and Jeff Brewer
Bess Butterworth
Sallie and Jon Cohen
Elana Cohn-Rozansky and David Rozansky
Janet Collier
Congregation Shaarie Torah
Brian Darnell
Maria and Milko Del Rosario
Jessica and Christopher Ebersole
Shahar Eden
Katherine Ellman
Rebecca Emshwiller
Yaakov Epstein
Stephanie Faddis
Jennifer and Sandor Felberg
Bev and Ian Getreu
Sarah and Jonathan Glass
Carolyn Gorin and Sam Gottlieb
Marat and Marianna Grinberg
Dan Grupp
Kerry Haugh
Robin Healy
Sara Hernandez
Nancy and Joe Hertzberg
Amanda Hiland
Linda Hill
Arlene Hirsch
Fanny Horowitz
Megan and Chris Hughes
Linda and Richard Jacobs
Marje Jacobson
Nikole and Edward Katz
Alison and Abraham Kimelman
Nicole King
Sharon Klin and Greg Bishop
Saul Korin
Robin and Eric Kornblit
Edith and Steph Kotkins
Gail Kotler
Kim Krikorian
Larisa Lerner
Rosanne and Al Levi
Kristin Liebman
Sandra Litt
Denise Littlefield
Celinda Llanez
Tanja Lux
Tova Marin and Zach Abrams
Michelle McDermid
Jessica Mehr
Marsha and David Mesher
Lynne Meyerowitz
Holly Miller
Laura Miller and Max Toulaud
Sarah Molinoff and Scott Rosenthal
Colleen Morrissey
Fabiola Muñoz
Julia and Jack Nuttall
David Parker
Gita Pastala
Galia and Arnon Peleg
Sue Perkel
Margaret and Terry Petersen
Kersti Pettit-Kekel
Rabbi Eve Posen and Duncan Gilman
Anne and Scott Prahl
Fernanda Propeck
RaiseRight
Jenny Robinett
The Rohr Family
Susie and Al Rohr
Noah Rosenberg
Elliott Saunders
Lucy Schwimmer
Estee Segal
Adrianne Sharrock
Christa Shively
Kathleen Sigelman and Matthew Rosenberg
Nina Spiegel
Meira and Rabbi Chanan Spivak
Remy Steckel
Crysie Stichler
Catie Strahorn-Brown
The Subotnick Family
Kelli Tevet
Susan and Richard Thomashow
Chuck Veneklase
Pamela and Devin Villarreal
Dr. Robert Warshawsky
The Wasson Hantman Family
Sue Wendel
Joshua Wolf
Kenzie and Max Woods
Laura Young
AUCTION ITEM CONTRIBUTORS
Many community members choose to support Portland Jewish Academy by contributing an item to our Annual Auction. We gratefully acknowledge all of the individuals and businesses who donated to the 2023 Auction. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the families and teachers who ensure that each class contributes an Auction item. To learn how you can donate an item to the 2024 PJA Auction, please contact Rosanne Levi, Auction Coordinator, at rlevi@pjaproud.org.
The Dor L’Dor Society recognizes those who have made the extraordinary commitment of including Portland Jewish Academy in their estate plan with a gift through a bequest, trust, life insurance policy or other planned gift. We gratefully acknowledge all of the members of the PJA Dor L’Dor Society. If you would like more information about how to include PJA in your estate plan, please contact Steve Albert, Executive Director, at salbert@pjaproud.org.
Sam Jacobson*
Phil Jansen and Ariel Shattan*
Garry and Judith Kahn
Hank Kaplan and Marni Glick*
Lisa Katon and Noah Kressel
Sheldon Klapper and Sue Hickey
Eric and Robin Kornblit
Tony and Priscilla Kostiner*
Stacey Lebenzon
Shirlee and Reuben Lenske z”l*
Jordana and Ryan Levenick
Al and Rosanne Levi*
Holly R. Litwin*
Gail Mandel and Steven Klein
Richard and Judi Matza*
Zen Menasche-Slayen*
Vic and Toinette Menashe*
Jeffrey Menashe and Wendy Gutmann*
Larry and Joyce Mendelsohn*
Mark and Marcia Meyer*
Joel Mullin and Sheri Katz
Hillary Nasso and Ken Wittenberg*
Diane Nemer z”l *
Dale Oller
Ella and Herbert Ostroff z”l*
Jack & Clara Paige Family Fund of OJCF
Robert Leonard Parnas z”l
Erik Richmond and Annette Demsey
Gayle and Paul Romain
Steve Rosenberg and Ellen Lippman*
Stan and Madelle Rosenfeld
David and Darcy Rubin*
Nicole Heiman Sacks and Robert Sacks*
Jerry and Bunny Sadis
Stephen and Becky Saltzman
Faye Gordon Samuels
Andrea K. Sanchez and Benjamin Drucker
Joan Schnitzer
Richard and Patricia Schwartz*
Gary and Linda Singer*
Jonathan Singer
Anthony Slayen*
Kelly and Julie Smith*
Les z”l and Martha Soltesz
Marshal Spector
Roslyn Srebnik Fund of the Srebnik Family Trust
Carol and Noam z”l Stampfer*
Sherry and Steven Stone*
Howard and Vivian Wasserteil
Rabbi Joey Wolf and Lisa Rackner*
Carrie Wynkoop and Kari Chisholm
Esther and Henry z”l Zabronsky*
Ken and Jennifer Zeidman
Mark and Mindy Zeitzer
Jason Zidell
Jay & Diane Zidell
*Denotes Founding Members of the Dor L’Dor Society
