PORTLAND JEWISH ACADEMY At the Schnitzer Family Campus | Think for yourself. Work for the world. Winter 2020, 5780 | Exclusive updates for our donors and supporters.
A Joyous Sukkot Celebrated at PJA
Second grade gets ready for Shabbat in the Sukkah
The beginning of 5780 marked an important milestone at PJA. For the first time in our history, we came together for an immersive experience of Sukkot. It was anything but class as usual, as PJA students and faculty lived and experienced Sukkot all while observing the laws that govern all Jewish holy days. We kicked off our day with all-school tefilah (prayer) which included a student-led Torah service, a captivating Sukkot story told by Rabbi Michael Cahana, hoshanot (a chance for each student to parade with the lulav and etrog) and lots of singing with Morah Kim Schneiderman. Afterwards, our fantastic 8th grade students led their mishpachot (family groupings) in various activities such as a gratitude walk, holiday charades, a discussion on the concept of ushpizin (guests we invite to our sukkah), and, of course, the constructing of edible sukkot! During our mishpacha time, we even made a delicious communal fruit salad in honor of the harvest element of the holiday. Everyone enjoyed this treat during lunch, and, as the oldest students in the school, the seventh and eighth graders were invited to enjoy their lunch and fruit salad in the sukkah. Every student at PJA had a chance to visit our sukkah and recite the blessing over the lulav and etrog.
Throughout the day, our youngest students sang with Kim and heard a story with Rabbi Eve Posen, while our third through fifth graders assembled kits for Community Warehouse with the organization’s founder, and PJA grandparent, Roz Babener. Our Middle School students spent much of the afternoon examining the connection between Sukkot and the houselessness crisis in Portland. We concluded the day with outdoor Sukkot-themed games created and run by our sixth grade class. It was a meaningful day at PJA as we learned, prayed, ate, celebrated and sang together, and as Kim says, “it was a day that made us both a learning community and a sacred community!”
Our new community sukkah was generously supported by the Cookie and Merritt Yoelin Fund of OJCF
6651 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219 | 503.244.0126 | pjaproud.org
Meet Our New Faculty: Nick Dysken
School Counselor PJA is very excited to welcome Nick Dysken as our full-time School Counselor. Since arriving, Nick has been quite busy getting to know our PJA kehillah (community). He has spent a great deal of time in classrooms, with individual students, and working with small groups. Nick even got to join our fifth graders on their fabulous OMSI Coastal Adventure. Prior to becoming a school counselor, Nick worked as an English as a Second Language instructor in Korea and had never really considered being a school counselor. Nick found, through his ESL work, that he was spending a lot of time in conversation with students and helping them in a variety of ways, and realized then that his real gifts were in the area of counseling. Nick acted on his new found passion, returned to school at the University of Minnesota to complete a graduate degree in School Counseling, and accepted his first counseling position in Kuwait. Ever the international traveler, Nick then returned to Korea for another position in School Counseling and remained there for two years until he decided it was time to return to the United States. Lucky for us, Nick landed in Portland, at our wonderful school. Though one of his primary hobbies used to be travel, Nick is happy to have found a place in Portland he can call home for a long time to come. About 18 months ago, Nick decided to try his hand (or feet) at running. He loves to run in Portland! We will have to make sure he has lots of rain gear so that he can continue to pursue his newest hobby. Still loyal to his home teams of the Minnesota Twins and Timberwolves, Nick has also become a Blazer fan and even saw Damien Lillard score 60 points at a recent game. Go Blazers! An avid reader, we will have to make sure Nick knows about Annie Bloom’s and Powell’s so that he can continue to pursue his love of reading. As a School Counselor, Nick likes being a part of a student’s development and learning. He loves his new school community and is excited to be working with a dedicated and passionate group of teachers. Nick has learned quickly that PJA is a school where people care about each other and learning. As a member of the Support Services team, Nick appreciates the level of support given to every child. Thanks for joining our faculty, Nick. 2
Angela Healy
Early Childhood Inclusion Specialist This fall, PJA welcomed Angela Healy as our new Early Childhood Inclusion Specialist. Angela comes to us with a wealth of experience, including work as an early childcare educator, a parent educator, a preschool director, and an ABA therapist for children diagnosed with autism. She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Oregon. She earned her Bachelor of Science with a Minor in Business Administration and her graduate degree in Teaching and Learning, earning a dual license in Elementary Education and Early Intervention. In her time at PJA, Angela has seen that inclusion is a priority. Her position, she says, “allows me to be a part of that work by supporting staff, children and families to allow for the success of every child.” Even before coming on board at PJA, Angela was impressed by the fact that PJA had an inclusion specialist on staff. She shares our belief that “all children and families should have access to a high quality program that supports children and families by meeting them right where they are.” Early Childhood Director, Erika Saiers, recognizes how fortunate we are to have someone with Angela’s experience join our team of educators. “Angela has been a great addition to our early childhood community,” says Erika. “She supports all children and educators in the program and brings a wealth of new ideas creating developmentally appropriate environments.” Outside of PJA, Angela loves to spend time with her family and dogs. She has an eight year old, and a six year old and has been married for 11 years. As an Oregon native, Angela loves the outdoors and likes to hike and camp as much as possible. When she has some downtime, she loves to “read with my beagle on my lap, by a warm fire, and a cup of coffee in my hand.” Angela is excited about her journey here at PJA, she says, “because I want the greater early childhood community to be able to see how inclusion in ECE can not only work, but be an asset to everyone involved.” In the short time she has been here, we have already seen how adding Angela to our staff has been a huge asset to our community.
Dragon Basketball Update The PJA Fifth-Sixth grade basketball team just wrapped up a fabulous season! The team finished with six wins and two losses. Our head coach, Stephanie Rankin, led the Dragons, who improved throughout the season. The team had 14 players, split evenly with seven players each from the fifth and sixth grades. Next up for the Dragons is our seventh and eighth grade teams. Both the boys’ and girls’ teams are beginning practice. They open their seasons on January 9. Come on out to cheer on the Dragons!
Dragons Cross Country Team Has a Successful Season The PJA Dragons had another outstanding Cross County season, coached by longtime coach and mentor, Erika Saiers. The PJA team was comprised of 12 runners ranging from fifth - eighth grade. Each week, our runners logged miles running through Hillsdale and Multnomah Village to increase stamina, improve endurance, socialize with friends and prepare for their meets. Each runner set both personal and team goals to better their performance from the beginning to the end of the season, and, more importantly, to support one another as a running community. For some team members, this was their first introduction to running as a sport, and hopefully as a lifelong activity to promote a healthy lifestyle of exercise and fitness. Other runners were returning for another season of running, already having been bitten by the running bug. Due to the fact that our team this year was dominated by boys (11 boys and 1 girl), our boys’ team was the focus of our many successes. Our boys’ team started placing solidly at meets in the Metro Christian League, and they were determined to move up the rankings. “I knew this group of runners had the determination, work ethic and commitment to place higher at the meets,” said Coach Erika Saiers. She was right. At the Metro Christian League Championships, we took our seven top runners (Ethan Berkson-Klaus, Kai La Forte, Isaac Cissna, Noah Zeitzer, Mathew Cissna, Jonathan Faclieru and Henry Gilroy) and PJA took 2nd place in the MCL Championships! On November 3rd, the same seven boys went on to the PDXC State Middle School Championships at Western Oregon University where they ran their hearts out along with middle schoolers from across the state. This season, 9 out of 11 racers achieved personal records (PR's)! We are PJA Proud of our runners who run by our motto "Run for Yourself, Work for the Team."
Eighth grader, Ethan Berkson-Klaus, was a returning runner and will look upon his PJA Cross Country experience fondly. He notes, “This year was an exciting end to my three seasons of Cross Country at PJA. Some of the highlights range from our team getting second at districts to running with 300 people at states. I will miss the five mile runs to the river and the inside jokes we made along the way.” 3
PJA Students Make a Big Impact by Building Tiny Homes Not many adults know what speed squares, impact drivers, and cat’s paws are, so the fact that a group of Portland Jewish Academy Middle School students know both what they are, and how to use them, speaks to the power of the latest addition to PJA’s Service Learning program. Thanks to a thriving partnership between our School and the non-profit, Cascadia Clusters, whose mission is to “train houseless Portlanders to build an affordable, sustainable, and high quality workforce AND transitional housing,” more than 25 Middle Schoolers have contributed to the Tiny Homes project located near the field adjacent to the MJCC. What used to be brambles and blackberries is now a bustling construction site. Each Wednesday afternoon, small groups of students do hands-on volunteering under the direction of Cascadia Clusters’ Founder, Andy Olshin, and Tivnu: Building Justice gap year program’s construction educator, Erik Brakstad. Students are responsible for removing nails from recycled wood, building sawhorses, and helping with solar lighting tasks. Sixth grader, Anna, a regular contributor to the project noted, “We are even learning about lithium-ion batteries. This shows that we are not only helping the houseless, but that this is also a learning experience for us kids.” Once built, the tiny homes will be moved to villages such as Hazelnut Grove in keeping with Portland’s “Housing First” model, which recognizes that individuals cannot address the issues that led them into houselessness without first being in safe spaces protected from the elements. These villages provide the added benefit of a strong sense of community. Two generous organizations have taken note of this unique volunteer opportunity. Several of the most consistent student volunteers recently traveled to Salem to accept the “11th Annual Harold Schnitzer Spirit of Unity Award” from the Wholistic Peace Institute. The award recognizes students who are advocating for peace and understanding and making a difference in their community. The project also garnered the support of the Lois and Leonard Schnitzer Charitable Supporting Foundation of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation. Funding from both grants will go toward supporting the students’ efforts in helping with the Tiny Home project and provide opportunities for community members of any age to contribute to the effort.
PJA students accept their Spirit of Unity Award from Nancy Spanovich, Executive Director of the Wholistic Peace Institute
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Alumni Spotlight: Pesha Wasserstrom, PJA Class of 2000 Tell us a little about your time at PJA. I attended PJA from Kindergarten through seventh grade, when my family left the country for a year, so I never officially graduated, but my class graduated in 2000. I have so many fond memories of my time at PJA, most involving the other students in my class, many of whom I'm still close with today.
What are you doing currently? I am a school counselor at Rose City Park elementary school. It's my first year as a school counselor. I graduated from the Lewis and Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling in June. So far, I love being a school counselor. Every day is different. I love working with students and families, and there’s always a new challenge.
Describe your life/educational path after PJA. After PJA, I started at Wilson High School, where I spent my freshman and sophomore years, before transferring to the Metropolitan Learning Center. I graduated from MLC in 2005, then moved to Amherst, Massachusetts to attend Hampshire College. After graduating from Hampshire
in 2009, I moved back to Portland and did a year as an Americorps Service Member at Growing Gardens, a nonprofit here in Portland. That year, I worked as a school garden educator in four elementary schools, which sparked a passion for garden education. I spent the next couple of years traveling and working on farms, before returning to Growing Gardens as a staff garden educator. In 2017, I started the Masters in School Counseling program at Lewis and Clark.
Can you share with us how your PJA education shaped you into the person you are today? I think the small class sizes, project-based learning, and excellent teachers at PJA all helped me to be successful in the many different academic environments I’ve inhabited since then. I also think the strong sense of community and values I learned there directly shaped me into the person I am today.
Any advice you have for current PJA students? Take full advantage of your time at PJA! You are so lucky to be at a small school with great teachers with the time and resources to support you.
If you have an alumni update to share, please contact Lisa Katon at lkaton@pjaproud.org.
PJA Alumni Share Their High School Wisdom
Left to right: Lev, Bella, Anna, and Elliot
On December 12th, four PJA alumni came back to campus to share their wisdom with PJA Middle Schoolers on making the transition to high school. High School 411, organized by PJA’s Kehillah, with the help of Admission Director, Sarah Glass, brought Lev Barnett (sophomore at Grant HS), Bella Phillips (sophomore at Wilson HS), Anna Fuss (sophomore at St. Mary’s), and Elliott Feinblatt (freshman at Wilsonville HS), to serve on the panel and share their experiences.
The alumni overwhelmingly encouraged students to get involved with a sport or club before the start of the school year as a way to make friends and ease the transition to high school. Their sports ranged from cheer and cross country to ultimate frisbee and lacrosse. The freshman communities at Portland public high schools are a great way to meet new people. All of them advised students to branch out and make new friends. It’s important to remember, they said, that all students coming into high school experience some degree of nerves, not just those coming from PJA. High school is a new environment for everyone. Academically speaking, students felt very well prepared for the academic demands of high school. Anna said, ”I had a really good foundation to build on.” Many of these students are challenging themselves with AP classes and honors classes. In order to be successful in high school, the alumni told PJA students to stay organized, seek out their teachers, and keep a planner to track their homework. They all felt that the homework load was manageable, and that PJA prepared them well. Most of them have participated in Jewish youth groups and clubs, either on campus, with their synagogue, or in the community. These wise alumni, not too much older than the students they were speaking to, reflected on their PJA experience fondly. “The friendships I made at PJA I will cherish forever,” said Anna. “You will miss this place.”
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Portland Jewish Academy Auction
t a e r G The s r o o d t Ou
2019 Auction Raises Over $800,000! The PJA community once again showed its incredible spirit of generosity by coming together to raise over $800,000 at our 58th Annual Auction. On Sunday, December 8th, PJA welcomed over 375 people to the Schnitzer Family Campus for an unforgettable night. The costume contest inspired just about everyone to dress in their Pacific Northwest best. We saw everything from Sasquatch and Smokey the Bear to taxidermy animals and, the winner, dressed as a campfire complete with s’mores! The silent auction included hundreds of items donated by local businesses and the PJA community. It also included a wide array of student-created works including a custom Lego box, a hand-painted platter and a beautiful representation of Mt. Hood made by first graders with torn paper. Once the silent auction closed, guests were treated to a delicious buffet dinner and live auction in the ballroom. The program, led once again by fabulous auctioneer, Ian Lindsay, who was accompanied this year by a most musical emcee, Matthew DiLoreto, featured a live auction, an inspirational video, remarks by PJA alum parent and board member, Jennifer Zeidman, and a truly remarkable Mitzvah Moment, during which a record number of gifts were made (155 in all!). We are incredibly grateful to Jay and Diane Zidell for matching all sponsorships and mitzvah moment donations at 100%. And our heartfelt gratitude goes to Steve “Rosy” Rosenberg and Ellen Lippman for matching all sponsorships and Mitzvah Moments at 50%. Without these two families, the success of the PJA Auction would look very different. We also want to give a shout-out to the anonymous donor who matched all $180 Mitzvah Moment gifts by 50%, giving us a true double match at $180. We saw a record number of gifts at this level, thanks to the generosity of this donor. PJA is fortunate to count on each and every member of our community who believes in our mission and wants to continue to see it thrive for future generations. Together we are making mensches!
Left to right: Diane Zidell, Jay Zidell, Ellen Lippman, Crystal Lamb, and Jason Zidell
Leslie Berman and Jordan Schnitzer
Auctioneer Ian Lindsay announces costume contest winner, PJA Infant Teacher, Cheryl Salgado
Guests showing off their creative outdoor-themed costumes
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A New Fifth Grade Tradition Fifth grade at PJA brings to mind many things - the Purim Shpiel, health class with Ms. Phillips, reading rich literature, and taking a three-night nature trip with the entire class, to name a few. For many years, that trip was a mid-winter journey to Islandwood, a beautiful nature retreat on Bainbridge Island, Washington. These events and activities are all fifth grade traditions, and you know what they say about traditions. They are made to be broken. This year, we broke with tradition by changing up our class trip. Instead of going to Islandwood in early January, our team opted for something different. During the last week of October, the fifth grade teaching team brought the class to OMSI’s Coastal Discovery Center at Camp Gray, located in Yaquina Bay, just on the outskirts of Newport. There were many reasons for the change. We wanted to provide a bonding experience earlier in the year, and we wanted to provide a counterpoint to the forest-based curriculum that students will experience during their sixth grade Outdoor School experience. Camp Gray provided a wonderful opportunity to focus on the coastal sciences of wind, water and waves. It was rustic, windswept, and beautiful, and we were lucky enough to have three incredibly sunny (albeit cold!) days. The kids loved it, and the teachers did as well. We may have a new fifth grade tradition!
PJA Family Camp The first-ever PJA Family Camp was held in September at Camp Solomon Schechter near Olympia, Washington. Over 100 participants gathered in a beautiful natural setting to celebrate Shabbat together, to learn and play together, to explore, eat, and sing together. Sarah Glass, PJA Admission Director, and a committee of dedicated parent volunteers worked together to create a powerful weekend of community building. Sarah Glass had pondered the idea of a PJA Family Camp for a long time. "I saw for myself," she says, "that the shared experiences my children had with their classmates outside of the school building – experiences like the fifth grade trip to Islandwood and the sixth grade Shabbaton – were incredibly valuable in creating a deep connection to their school community. I wanted to replicate that with our PJA families.” Judging from our post-camp survey results, it was a success. As one participant wrote, “We got to know other families much better – both within our class and other classes. Our kids also had the chance to run around in a safe space and we could see them gaining independence just in the one weekend. And it was just really fun.” We already have plans in place for our second annual PJA Family Camp to be held October 23-25, 2020 at BB Camp in Lincoln City. We are grateful to The Leonard and Lois Schnitzer Charitable Supporting Foundation of OJCF for their financial support of PJA Family Camp 2020. 8
Student Artwork: Exploration of Paper Arts
Ayelet Lake with the house she constructed entirely out of paper
Third grader Ayelet Lake, constructed a house out of paper as part of our exploration of Paper Arts. She spent several classes adding details to all four rooms—one catered to each member of her family. Tiny artwork on the walls, a fireplace, bookshelf, chairs, beds, rugs, and a dog bed are among the highlights. She used only paper, glue and colored pencils. In the PJA art room, students have creative authority over their artwork based on the pedagogy, Teaching for Artistic Behavior. Rather than making artwork assigned by the teacher, students use the techniques and materials they learn about in art to pursue their original ideas for artwork. Ayelet's work demonstrates what she learned this fall about Paper Arts including techniques of collage, origami, pop-up construction, and paper sculpture.
PJA Welcomes Notable Authors to Campus PJA welcomed three notable authors this fall. Katherine Rundell wowed our students with stories of her flying trapeze, her tightrope walking and the fact that she once ate a tarantula. Exciting moments like these made everyone dash to borrow her newest book: The Good Thieves. Ella Morton, co-author of Atlas Obscura, shared some of her favorite obscure places on the globe. She shared about Lord Howe Island, the stark peak Katherine Rundell Ella Morton Eric Kimmell in the sea so dramatic that it looks photoshopped, home to the unbelievable Lord Howe Island stick insect, a walking stick roughly the size of a human hand. And she shared about the living root bridges of Northern India that are growing bigger and stronger every day. Ella Morton was full of wonders! Beloved author Eric Kimmell came to campus to share some of his cherished Chanukah books in preparation for the Chanukah essay contest for which he encouraged our kids to submit essays. His deep, resonant voice filled our ballroom as he read from The Chanukah Guest and Simon and the Bear: A Hanukkah Tale. Authors have enlivened our autumn and inspired our readers!
SAVE THE DATE! PJA Mainstage Drama Presents Peter Pan Tuesday, March 17 at 7:00 pm & Wednesday, March 18 at 10:00 am
$12/Adults. $10/Seniors & Children 10 and under. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, March 2nd in the PJA Office. This year's Middle School Mainstage Drama production will be the beloved classic, Peter Pan. The script was adapted by the cast and the show's director, Marcie Brewer, and is an amalgam of the original stage play by J.M. Barrie and the well-known animated Disney feature. This adaptation was a challenging and educational process as the students and director partnered to tackle complicated source materials with the vision of bringing a diverse and equitable story to the PJA audience. "I feel really strongly that we have a responsibility to have conversations about these issues when we choose to bring classic stories to the stage," stated Marcie Brewer. "I welcome the opportunity to unwrap this story with our cast and with our audiences." The cast is currently working hard on choreographing dance and fight scenes and will begin music rehearsals in January. Students will also be building some scenery in the Makerspace, and families will all work together to bring a visually spectacular show to the stage. "We're working hard, and we're ready to put this show on!" exclaims Jonathan Williams (a seventh grader who plays Peter Pan). "We're putting in a lot of hard work, and it will all pay off. We're looking forward to seeing the final show," added Gabi Phillips (a seventh grader who plays Tiger Lily).
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From Generation to Generation At PJA, from generation to generation, dor l’dor, is a core value. We are building community with grandparents and special friends to enhance our multigenerational experience. We started the year with a Grandparents and Special Friends BBQ. While the weather did not cooperate, we enjoyed music and arts and crafts together. Students helped lead tours of PJA for their grandparents and special friends. At the PJA Auction, grandparents gathered for a photo while helping the school raise over $800,000. As part of Special Friends and Family Day on Friday, December 20th, we had our second Lunch & Learn for grandparents. After greetings from Principal, Merrill Hendin, and Executive Director, Steve Albert, grandparents learned with PJA Director of General Studies, Michael Hyde, about how PJA’s Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum prepares our students for the world they will inherit. Then we visited the Makerspace to learn with Matthew Dalton, Makerspace educator, about how, while we are making mensches, PJA is also making “makers” who are using creative strategies and unique materials to create and problemsolve. Following the session in the Makerspace, grandparents gathered in the ballroom for a music-filled celebration led by PJA students from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Earlier in the day, the Early Childhood programs entertained their special friends and families, sang Chanukah songs, and enjoyed some time showing their special visitors their classrooms. In the spring, we are excited to offer a cultural event and a PJA Grandparents Pop-Up Giving Circle. For details, to add your email to our grandparent email list, or to help with organizing events, contact Saul Korin at skorin@pjaproud.org or 503.452.3427.
Ask the Expert: Julie Diamond
President and CEO, Oregon Jewish Community Foundation Q: I’m looking for some new ideas to keep the momentum of Jewish involvement going after my daughter’s bat mitzvah. After all, it’s a beginning, not an end, right? Any suggestions? A: There’s a new way to do exactly that - a B’nai Tzedek Youth Fund of OJCF. The Foundation has just introduced a fund especially for teens ages 12-18. This allows students to be active donors to causes they believe in. Q: Sounds awesome. But don’t you need a lot of money for something like that? A: No! A fund can be established with an initial minimum contribution of just $250 and will be matched with a gift of $250 from the OJCF Community Endowment Fund. Q: Neat. So, my daughter could even donate some of her Bat Mitzvah gift money to start the fund? A: Yes, and friends and relatives can also donate, at the time of your daughter’s bat mitzvah, at school graduations, 10
birthdays… anytime. These contributions are taxdeductible charitable gifts to a public charity. Q: How does this help my daughter deepen her connections to Jewish life? A: With support from OJCF’s professional staff, your daughter would decide on grants from her fund each year to Jewish community nonprofits, locally and in Israel. She can grant out up to 10% of the fund balance. As the fund grows over time, there’s more grant money available to distribute to nonprofits. Q: What happens to her money at the Foundation? A: It’s invested in a balanced, long-term pool with other Foundation assets. Q: This sounds wonderful! Who should I contact for more information? A: It’s a fantastic way for a teen to begin a lifetime of tzedakah and tikkun olam. Contact Sonia Marie Leikam, Program Director at OJCF, 503.248.9328, or youth@ojcf.org for more information.
PJA Dor L’Dor Society Anonymous (2) Steven Albert and Janie Goldenberg Bonnie Boone Altshuld and Steve Altshuld* Ron and Judy Applebaum Gloria Bacharach* Alan Bacharach* Stacy Barna Barry and Karla Benson Gregory Bishop and Sharon Klin* Donna and Dick z"l Brownstein* Stanley Davis* Marlene Davis* z"l Julie Diamond Edith Dorsen Robert Erlich z"l Becky and Greg Ewer Eleanor Fisher z"l Robin and Eric Flamm Karen and Skip Freedman* John and Beth Germain* Jacob Gildesheim* Jonathan and Sarah Glass Edward and Florence Glick z"l* Eric Goldenberg* Erica Goldman and Jeffrey Druckman* Adam and Robin Greenman* Rick Haselton and Sura Rubenstein* Merrill and Perry Hendin* Ruth Horenstein*
Lewis and Lisa Horowitz* Hilde Jacob z"l Dr. Irvin and Dr. Jacqueline Jacobs 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* 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 Stacey L. and Marshal R. Oller Ella and Herbert z"l Ostroff* 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 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
*Denotes Founding Members
PJA is not just the place we send our children to school; it has truly become an extension of our community. As our children grow up, we know that they will eventually leave this community that has helped develop them into kind, curious and intellectual people with strong Jewish identities. We also know that the foundation that they have built at PJA will carry forward long into the future. By joining the Dor L'Dor Society, we help to ensure that PJA will continue to serve our community and educate young Jewish leaders for generations to come.
— Andrea Sanchez and Benjamin Drucker For more information about Life & Legacy, contact Steve Albert at: salbert@pjaproud.org or call 503.535.3592.
SAVE THE DATE! Used Book Sale
at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center Sunday, March 29 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday, March 30
8:00 am - 7:00 pm
Tuesday, March 31
8:00 am - 7:00 pm
$1 Children's books | $2 for all other books Proceeds benefit Portland Jewish Academy and the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. 11
Calendar of Events
2019-20 Board of Directors
Amy Blauer | Secretary
Early Childhood Kabbalat Shabbat
January 24:
Barry Benson
No School - MLK Day
January 20:
Rich Barker
No School - Teacher Inservice
January 17:
Steven Klein | President
Day School Kabbalat Shabbat
January 10:
February 11-14: Taglit
Joyce Evans Marni Glick | Treasurer
No School* - Pesach *IT in session 4/13, 4/14 & 4/17
April 8-17:
Jason Zidell | President-Elect
Used Book Sale
March 29-31:
Jennifer Zeidman
Early Childhood Kabbalat Shabbat
March 20:
Ahuva Zaslavsky
No School (K-8) - Day School Conferences
March 19-20:
Jonathan Singer
Middle School Play: Peter Pan
March 17-18:
Danelle Romain | Vice-President
No School - Teacher Inservice
March 13:
Erik Richmond | Vice-President
Purim Parade & Carnival
March 10:
Early Childhood Kabbalat Shabbat
February 21:
No School - President's Day
February 17:
Day School Kabbalat Shabbat
February 14:
VIEW THE COMPLETE CALENDAR at pjaproud.org/calendar
Larry Gloth Gail Mandel Carol Richmond
Support ed by
jewishportland.org We are grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland and our community for their support of PJA.
Portland Jewish Academy Schnitzer Family Campus 6651 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219 P: 503.244.0126 | F: 503.245.4233 | pjaproud.org