Oregon Jewish Life Nov 2017 Vol.6 / Issue 7

NOVEMBER 2017

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Grouchy Historian

ED ASNER

CHARITABLE GIVING:

talks Constitution & Prostate

It's more than money

NPR'S

ARI SHAPIRO CONSIDERS ALL THINGS THROUGH STORIES AND SONGS

SENIORS: Resources for rehab, fun & change

GIVE THANKS FOR CIDER DOUGHNUTS

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 1

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OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 3

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Oregon Jewish Life | November 2017 | Cheshvan - K islev 5778 | Volume 6/Issue 7

18

COVER STORY

ACTIVELY SENIOR

Ari Shapiro brings world to hometown 24

Robison reinvented for rehab Fit brain makes life more fun Comforting mourners Ask Helen PEARLS of wisdom Preventing trips and slips Wondering Jews explore Senior Resources

FEATURES JEWS WITH ATTITUDE Child prodigy ages into vintner extraordinaire 10

24

BUSINESS Ins & Outs

12

FRONT & CENTER Fendel’s jazz series scores Israeli 29 Grouchy Ed Asner heads to Oregon 30 Ezra Weiss and all that jazz 32

30

FOOD Chef’s Corner: Thanksgiving treat NW Nosh: You won’t miss meat at Aviv ISRAEL Women explore Poland and Israel Israel offers insight to Thanksgiving

48 50 52 55

CHARITABLE GIVING 34

58

A Jewish perspective Women’s time keeps community rolling Giving through ethical wills Writing an ethical will CCC shows veterans a path home Hal Saltzman, z”l, saw needy vets A veteran finds safe place to rebuild Buy art and do good

Charitable Giving / Financial Planning Directory

4 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

13 14 18 18 20 21 21 22 23

34 36 38 39 40 43 44 45

KIDS & TEENS Learning Commons inspire at PJA Teen gets Maccabiah gold, Timbers slot Kids & Teens Calendar

56 58 60

JLIVING The stories of Cuba’s Jews FACES Calendar

61 64 65

COLUMNS Ask Helen Chef’s Corner by Lisa Glickman NW Nosh by Kerry Politzer

39 48 50

COVER: Ari Shapiro. Photo by Cassidy Duhon

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 5

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Oregon Jewish Life • | Cheshvan - K islev 5778 | Volume 6/Issue 7

PUBLISHER

H OW T O R E AC H U S

Cindy Saltzman

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ADVE RTI S I N G AN D E D ITO R IAL D I R EC TO R

EDITORIAL: 503- 892-7402 or editor @ojlife.com

Cindy Saltzman

E VENTS: editor @ojlife.com

E D ITO R- I N - C H I E F Deborah Moon

S O C IAL M E D IA E D ITO R Mala Blomquist

WE B M ASTE R Karl Knelson

ART D I R EC TO R Philip Nerat

G R AP H I C D E S I G N E R

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A Prince Hal Produc t ion ( TGMR18)

2016-2017 MediaPort LLC All rights reserved The content and opinions in Oregon Jewish Life do not necessarily reflec t those of the publishers, staf f or contrac tors. Ar ticles and columns are for informational purposes only and not intended as a substitute for professional advice. Although ever y ef for t is made to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, Oregon Jewish Life, and its agents, publishers, employees and contrac tors will not be held responsible for the misuse of any information contained herein. The publishers reser ve the right to refuse any adver tisement. Publication of adver tisements does not constitute endorsement of produc ts or ser vices.

6 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

The Year Is Almost Over

Minimize your taxes and maximize your gifts to the community Give cash or appreciated securities } Contribute to an exisiting fund } Open a donor advised fund

}

Contact us to discuss your charitable goals.

Oregon Jewish Community Foundation www.ojcf.org l 503.248.9328

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 7

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The surprising upside to #MeToo When the decades long abusive behavior of Harvey Weinstein went public and snowballed into what seemed like hourly updates, women around the globe responded with hashtag #MeToo. Women who had either been too afraid or intimidated to report or even speak about their own experience with sexual abuse or intimidation came forward to support those who were now speaking up and empowering themselves with the cathartic #MeToo.

Cindy Salt zman

What was amazing was not so much each women’s experience (though the stories were very moving), but the sheer numbers of women who had experienced some form of sexual abuse or intimidation. As I looked at each of my female Facebook friends profiles, it seemed as if the majority had the hashtag, #MeToo. As one friend wrote, “Hello – don’t you see it is literally all of us.” That was the shocker that really captivated everyone. Some form of sexual abuse for the everyday woman quite literally happens every day to millions of woman around the globe.

What initially began as a story of sexual abuse, intimidation and rape within the Hollywood elite, became a much more powerful story when one realized that the majority of women have, on some level, experienced the same.

So what is the upside? Hopefully we are at a point of no return. As a result of the brave efforts of women (and many men) everywhere, society as a whole can no longer turn a blind eye to this abuse under the guise of ignorance or even fear.

There seems to be a national awakening in the United States (and Israel by the way) where men who are predators will begin to understand that they will be called out and held accountable. And that men of integrity who would never in a million years hurt a woman intentionally now realize that through a woman’s eyes, what may have seemed like an innocent comment or touch can be perceived as inappropriate, uncomfortable and intimidating.

But perhaps the real silver lining is that we have learned once more, as history has taught us, if someone witnesses a wrong, and does nothing, their silence is viewed as complicity.

If someone you know is too intimidated or afraid to get help, be their voice. We must all speak out to correct a wrong. After all, humankind at its best shines when we are our brother’s AND sister’s keeper.

And yes, #MeToo.

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R E A DY set

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To advertise: advertise@ojlife.com • orjewishlife.com 602.538.2955

LOCAL EXPERTS, GLOBAL REACH Bonhams specialists will be visiting Portland soon to provide free and confidential appraisals with a view to selling at auction.

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10/23/17 4:52 PM

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OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 9

Jewswith

Attitude

chicken soup to sommelier From

By Liz Rabiner Lippoff

Last fall, our dear friends Joel and Mia stayed with us a few days en route from their home in Vancouver, B.C., to their winter digs in Arizona. Even with all that time in the car, they wanted us to join them for a side trip to her cousin Larry’s new vineyard just south of Salem.

“We grew up together in Seattle,” she told me. “He is like a brother to me.” That was enough for us. Off we went.

It turns out that Larry Stone is not just a nice Jewish boy who owns 66 acres of prime pinot noir and chardonnay land with a view of Mt. Hood. He was a child prodigy who made his own wine at 14 and his own whisky at 16. He majored in chemistry at the University of Washington and became a Fulbright Scholar, studying comparative literature in Germany. Then when he was teaching English, film studies and Spanish at the University of Washington, and writing about Nietzsche’s role in contemporary literary criticism for his Ph.D., a bartender friend dared him to apply for a job as a sommelier.

“You know more about wine than real sommeliers,” the friend said. The restaurant manager grilled Larry with questions from Alexis Lichine’s Encyclopedia of Wines & Spirits. It turns out a girlfriend had given Larry the 713-page book as a gift a few 10 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

years earlier, and he had practically memorized the thing. Larry aced it. And the rest, evidently, is history.

Larry went on to manage the wine cellar at The Four Seasons in Seattle and at Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, preside over Francis Ford Coppola’s winery, become a Michelin-starred restaurateur, an award-winning international wine consultant, an in-demand wine judge and sommelier educator, and a winery founder and CEO. Also – almost forgot! – he was named the best sommelier in America in 1986 ... and the best sommelier of French wines in the world two years later. This is a partial list.

His vineyards were thriving and beautiful when we visited with Joel and Mia last fall, but I went back this spring when the winery itself was up and running to try to figure out how all this came to pass. The first piece of the puzzle – besides his broad curiosity about the world around him and his astonishing photographic memory – is that an understanding and appreciation for food and wine is in his blood.

“My grandmother’s father's mother sold fruits and vegetables in Vienna,” Larry explained. “On the other side were bakers in Galicia or in Tarnow, Poland. My mom’s family were farmers in Bistrita, in Romania. Her maiden name was Weinberger, which is a person who has a vineyard and makes wine from the grapes they grow.”

“I grew up cooking. My mom would make a stock and ask me how it was. I’d say, ‘delicious,’ but she’d say, ‘Taste it again. Too many carrots.’” ~ Larry Stone

Larry grew up in a household that was all about fresh, natural food. His father was a greengrocer at the Pike Place Market in Seattle, and Larry learned at his knee to tell when produce was at its peak. He also roamed the market and tasted anything put in front of him. Years later, one of the crucial questions put to Larry for the title of the world’s best sommelier of French wines was about an obscure French cheese. No problem.

In addition, Larry’s mother was fabulous in the kitchen. “I grew up cooking. My mom would make a stock and ask me how it was. I’d say, ‘delicious,’ but she’d say, ‘Taste it again. Too many carrots.’ She worked with my dad and my uncle, so when I was in second grade I started making dinner.” He cooked his way through Julia Child and, he says, he knew all the French sauces before he left grade school. The other kids would bring PBJs for lunch. Larry would pull out his salad greens, whisk up a vinaigrette and eat that.

His cousin Mia backs him up. “Our mothers were sisters and were incredibly close,” she remembers. “We were together every Friday for Shabbat, every holiday. His dad used to go to the market to get the best meats, fish, fruits. I don’t mean expensive, I mean good quality. His mom was an unbelievable cook. She peeled each mushroom. When she made a chocolate cake, the frosting was absolutely beautiful. And Larry learned all that.”

His parents also believed that children should know about how tastes work in harmony, so he was doing blind wine tastings with them – just tiny sips – by the time he was 7. He was pairing wine for his parents to go with dinner when he was 12.

All that, coupled with his extensive study of languages, enables him now to taste the subtleties of flavors in wine and then articulate them clearly so his customers end up with a wine that suits their individual tastes and complements their food to perfection.

Today, as founder and CEO of Lingua Franca in Eola-Amity Hills, Larry is in a unique position to see his own vision for growing quality grapes and producing special wines come to fruition. Kimberly Abrahams, 30, is his assistant winemaker, and she is thrilled to be part of his team. “People say to me, ‘You work for Larry Stone? Wow!’ ” She is especially excited about the way they farm, all organic, all natural, based on “respect for the land. It is his commitment to say thank you to the land, to honor what the vineyard is capable of.”

While Larry still travels the world as a wine consultant, he is happy to be on this land, at this time, in Oregon. Larry, his

Larry at Lingua Franca

family and their team put their hearts and souls into every vine, into every bottle. Kimberly notes how they sit down together to taste all the lots from the vineyards and create blends based on what the vineyards represent. They select local artists to design their labels. They put themselves into every carefully chosen wine name.

Larry is most proud of their “Sisters” chardonnay, named for his mother, Rachel, and Mia’s mother, Aida. The two sisters were imprisoned during the war; they managed to stay together even at Auschwitz. Rachel contracted typhus and barely survived the death march to Bergen-Belsen. When they were liberated, Mia says, “Stockholm was willing to take very sick people. My mom convinced the doctor to let her pretend to be sick so she could go with Rachel to Sweden.”

“My mom woke up in Sweden,” Larry told me. “She rehabilitated there and worked painting ceramics.”

Larry’s dad served in the Austrian army and, after several failed attempts and one refusal by the Swiss, had to walk through Switzerland to Belgium, where he was eventually evacuated to England. A Jewish organization helped him get to the United States, where he joined the U.S. Army and, through that, became a citizen. “He was stationed at Fort Lewis,” Larry says. “Seattle reminded him of Austria, so he moved there after the war.”

Meanwhile, Aida had married a Swedish citizen and moved with him to Seattle. Rachel visited Aida there, stayed for a while and met her future husband. And the rest is history.

Yes, of course I bought a beautiful bottle of the Sisters wine.

Next time Mia and Joel come through Portland, we will clink our glasses and sip it together.

503-687-3005 | info@linguafranca.wine Liz Rabiner Lippoff is a marketing consultant, freelance writer and community volunteer. LizInk.biz OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 11

INS & OUTS

Allison Kaufman and Michelle Koplan

Best nonprofit to work for: BB Camp

B’nai B’rith Camp was awarded the Best Nonprofit (medium-sized organization) to work for in Oregon. The award was presented by Oregon Business as part of its 100 Best Nonprofits to work for in Oregon.

BB Camp employees and volunteers participated in a survey project this past spring through Oregon Business.

BB Camp Operations Director Allison Kaufman and Executive Director Michelle Koplan were called to the stage to receive the award in a packed ballroom at the Sentinel Hotel on Sept. 28.

“On behalf of our agency, I was incredibly honored to have received such a distinguished award,” says Michelle. “It was so awesome to be honored by our employees and volunteers for our welcoming and inclusive workplace. It was equally as rewarding to hear the quotes that our employees and volunteers wrote about us. Words of pride in the work we do, and our ability to deeply care for our 20 yearround employees and nearly 100 summer, seasonal and part-time employees, permeated each of their comments. ” bbcamp.org

BBQ kosher food cart debuts in SW Portland

Holy Smokes Righteous Eats LLC is the first kosher-certified eatery serving barbecue meat – with a Pacific Northwest twist – in Portland.

Owner, adventurous cook (since age 11) and entrepreneur Steven Goldsmith has a mission for his Southwest Portland-based Holy Smokes food cart: “To offer righteous barbecue and smokehouse meals accessible to all.”

To all eaters, that is. Goldsmith knows vegetarians and vegans like barbecue, too.

Goldsmith, his wife and two sons are recent transplants to Portland from the East Coast, where prepared kosher food options abound. Not so in his adopted city.

He has his local twists nailed: “We have kosher brisket rubbed with coffee and served with Walla Walla sweet onion jam.”

Mashgiach Tuvia Berzow supervises and ensures all of Holy Smokes’ equipment and food meet strict kosher requirements.

“The Jewish and Muslim communities, particularly in Portland, have seen a lot of population growth in the last several years. Holy Smokes fills a great need for affordable, ready-to-eat, delicious food,” says Berzow, executive director of Oregon Kosher.

Daily offerings include orange-chipotle barbecue chicken, merguez sausage (a beef/lamb mix), chicken, beef and jackfruit mole street tacos. In the smoked department, Goldsmith has turkey, pastrami, roast beef and corned beef.

3975 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy. | 503-706-1006 | HolySmokes.

House 12 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Sonia Marie Leikam

OJCF’s Leikam appointed to Portland’s Human Rights Commission

Sonia Marie Leikam has been appointed to serve as a Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Portland. Leikam is the collaborative giving program coordinator of Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.

She will serve a three-year term on the volunteer commission. The commission works independently under the umbrella of the city’s Office of Equity and Human Rights.

Leikam was selected after completing the application process, an interview and going before city council. The commission works to eliminate discrimination and bigotry, to strengthen intergroup relationships, and to foster greater understanding, inclusion and justice for those who live, work, study, worship, travel and play in Portland. It is guided by the principles embodied in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“It is an honor to be a part of the commission, working to build a stronger community here in Portland,” says Leikam. “I feel that my experience serving on the commission will help strengthen the work I will be doing with teens this year in the Oregon Jewish Community Youth Foundation’s new advocacy program.” portlandoregon.gov/oehr

OJCF adopts equity statement

In September, the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees voted to adopt an equity statement that declares the foundation’s commitment to inclusion and its desire to create a community where all people are valued and respected. OJCF Board Chair Steve Laveson says the statement “reflects OJCF’s long-standing principles of equity and justice that are rooted in Jewish tradition.”

The impetus to adopt the equity statement arose from the Jewish community’s recent effort to promote and support inclusion of LGBTQ individuals in Portland and Southwest Washington. OJCF is now part of Keshet’s Equality Guide, an online resource for individuals searching for inclusive Jewish organizations across the United States.

OJCF’s equity statement can be viewed on the OJCF website. ojcf.org | keshetonline.org

New kosher wine certified by Oregon Kosher

A kosher 2016 Willamette Valley pinot noir is available now from Domaine Roy. The wine is certified by Oregon Kosher.

The wine is made from hand-selected Willamette Valley pinot noir grapes that are wild-fermented from native yeast and barrel-aged for about a year. Called "Shai," it retails for about $70 per bottle.

The wine will not be produced in 2017, but a 2018 vintage is planned.

8351 NE Worden Hill Road, Dundee | 503-687-2600 | domaineroy.com

A Jewish perspective on charitable giving “Justice, justice shalt thou pursue.”

~Deuteronomy (16:20)

CHARITABLE GIVING/ FINANCIAL PLANNING 13 A Jewish perspective 14 Gift of time 18 Ethical wills 18 Writing an ethical will 20 Veterans find path home 22 Buy art, do good 23 Charitable Giving/Financial Planning Directory

W

hile charitable giving conjures up thoughts of generosity and benevolence, in Judaism the concept is a commandment, an obligation.

Helping the poor and needy is a duty in Judaism. Yet beyond fulfilling physical needs, as Jews we also strive to create a better, more just world for generations to come.

Tzedakah, often translated as charity, literally means justice. It is just one of three Hebrew terms that express the Jewish approach to charitable giving. Tikkun olam (repair of the world) requires both tzedakah and g’milut hasadim (acts of loving kindness).

Tikkun olam reflects the human responsibility for fixing what is wrong in the world, both in society and nature. It embodies the spirit of philanthropy – increasing the wellbeing of humankind and our world by giving our time, money and skills. Social welfare and volunteer work, as well as the donation of monetary and physical resources, are ways in which people can be philanthropically involved and at the same time be involved in tikkun olam.

If we don’t take responsibility to fix what is broken in the world, injustice and environmental crises will continue unabated.

On the following pages, we share ways that members of Oregon’s Jewish community are making the world a better place.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 13

C h a r i ta b l e G i v i n g

Gift of Time: Women volunteers keep wheels of community turning

By Gloria Hammer

F

or 25 years, the Jewish Women’s Round Table has presented the Song of Miriam Award to women volunteers who actively support Jewish life.

In June JWRT President Leslye Epstein welcomed 21 new honorees and a roomful of their supporters to this year’s Song of Miriam Brunch at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center.

“Over 400 women over the years have been awarded this honor,” said Leslye, noting that some of the organizations they have served would not exist if it were not for the effort of the volunteers.

To explore what drives volunteers, I interviewed representatives of three generations from that cohort of 21 amazing women. Erin David is a recent college graduate. Robyn Pekala is a mother of two from Corvallis. Anneke Bloomfield is a survivor, telling her story of life and survival during World War II. Erin has been a member of Congregation Beit Haverim in Lake Oswego for 18 of her 22 years. A recent graduate of Portland State University, she is just beginning a graduate program in education. She has been volunteering since she can remember, or as she says, “86% of her life.”

Robyn, a Harvard Law graduate, moved with her family to Corvallis in 2000 and joined Beit Am. When her oldest child started kindergarten, she began her volunteering, as all parents were required to volunteer. That was 17 years ago, and her commitment and passion for Beit Am and its community continues to be strong.

Anneke Bloomfield was born in The Hague, The Netherlands.

After the war she moved to Canada and later to the United States. Anneke has been a dedicated member of the Speakers

14 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

ABOVE:Song of Miriam 2017 honorees and the organization that nominated them are (seated from left): Erin David, Beit Haverim; Anneke Bloomfield, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education; Eve Berry, Havurah Shalom; Peg Elefant, Portland Hadassah; Sari Pill, Kol Shalom; Bonnie Robbins, Shir Tikvah; Helen Tevlin, P’nai Or; and Thelma Solomon, Shaarie Torah Sisterhood; and (standing from left): Olivia Davis accepting award for grandmother, Judith Havas, Temple Beth Sholom; Steffanie Goldsmith, Congregation Neveh Shalom; Melissa Horowitz, Portland Jewish Academy; Erica Schiff Press, PJA; Lois Shenker, Jewish Federation of Greater Portland; Robin McAlpine, Cedar Sinai Park; Allison Wetchler, Congregation Kol Ami; Naomi Levitt, Jewish Family & Child Service; Diane Lowensohn, Women of Reform Judaism/Beth Israel Sisterhood; Joan Stiber, Congregation Kesser Israel; Marcy Morris, Friends of Robison; and Robyn Pekala, Beit Am. Bureau of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education for 17 years.

Just who volunteers and why can involve as many different reasons as there are people. Volunteering can be a way of life.

These three women have followed different paths to the journey of volunteering. For Erin it has always been a way of life. Her family has always volunteered and it comes naturally. For Robyn volunteering was a task required when she enrolled her daughter into kindergarten at her synagogue; over the years it grew into a job needing to be done and a love for a community. For Anneke sharing her story is an important way to educate the next

generation and impact our future. A mitzvah is a feminine noun often translated as good deeds. It is more complicated in its raw definition, just like our volunteers. The following comments have been edited for clarity and brevity.

When do you remember first volunteering?

Erin: My mom volunteered at the North Clackamas Clothes Closet when I was in elementary school. I would go through the clothes to find hangers. I remember staying at Beit Haverim after services to clean up after potluck dinners and Friday night services.

Robyn: I volunteered as a Big Sister after college.

Anneke: I was 59 years old, and did not speak about my childhood and what I experienced. Charmaine Lindsay, who volunteered at the Oregon Holocaust Resource Center arranging Holocaust survivor speakers, asked if I could speak to students for her. I wasn’t very good. She kept encouraging me.

What do you remember about your early volunteering?

Erin: It has always been a part of my life.

Robyn: My friends volunteered as Big Sisters, but it wasn’t a good fit for me, and I didn’t stick with it very long.

Anneke: I was very inexperienced and had not spoken about my war experience. My first presentation was awful. I really only answered the questions I was asked. But I have been sharing my experience ever since. I go to middle schools, libraries, Rotary, jails and other organizations.

Did you come from a family that volunteered?

Erin: Yes. Dad was a Boy Scout volunteer for years. Mom’s been volunteering for various organizations my entire life – Camp Fire, North Clackamas Clothes Closet, Beit Haverim; Mom was honored with the Song of Miriam in 2007.

Robyn: Not at all. I don’t remember any volunteering or even discussing injustice in the world. My parents were active in our synagogue; maybe they did more than I realized.

Anneke: My family pretended we were Christian. My dad started volunteering during the war. He worked at the neighborhood church library. The last couple of years everybody was either picked up as a Jew or used as slave labor. There was no work. He quietly stayed home, out of sight and worked with the Underground.

How did you decide what to volunteer your time to?

Erin: Most of the volunteering I do just fell into place.

Currently I volunteer at a local elementary school one day a week, which started as part of a class but continued because I had so much fun! I do a lot at Beit Haverim because I always have. I love being part of the community. I wish I had more time but between being a student and a part-time waitress, I hardly have time for what I do now!

Robyn: When we moved to Corvallis in 2000, I enrolled my daughter at Sunday school at Beit Am. Parents were required to volunteer. I signed up for the gift shop during Sunday school.

About a year later I was asked if I would be on the board. I

The Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland Presents:

Killing The Peace Process To Save The Two-State Solution:

A Conversation with Dr. Michael Koplow, Israel Policy Forum Hear from Dr. Koplow, who is the Policy Director of the Israel Policy Forum. Dr. Koplow holds a Ph.D in Goverment from Georgetown University, specializing in political development and ideology and the politics of Middle Eastern states. His work has appeared in Foreign Affairs, The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Policy, and The Atlantic, among other publications.

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www.jewishportland.org OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 15

C h a r i ta b l e G i v i n g

Erin David

Robyn Pekala

wondered at the time if my gift shop skills could have been that extraordinary? I could not say no and began my first term on the board. I wouldn’t say I decided what to volunteer my time to. I more or less acquiesced. But things changed after my stint on the board. Between the community at Beit Am and my newfound connection, I developed a sense of ownership. After that my volunteer decisions were about what I could do to help Beit Am thrive. The answer is simple, volunteering to do whatever I thought needed to be done that I felt competent to do. Because Beit Am is bursting at the seams, we are embarking on a new building project. We gathered several people to create a short video. I hope you watch it on our website (beitam.org/newbuilding).

Anneke: They kept asking me to tell my story of what happened to me and how I survived during World War II. People think most survivors were in camps. Not true. Many suffered in different ways. Even the German people themselves who started this war suffered. For my family’s safety, my father split the family and boarded us out. It was dangerous to hide children like me. I was 7 years old. My first time was not bad, but I was sent home after a few months, possibly because the people hiding me got scared. The second time I became ill and homesick. I was 8 and went home again. The third time my father could not check on where I was going. No trains or mail. I was taken by bus with some other young kids and we were bombed. It turned out to be a bad place. I was 9. No food, no heat, no light. All I had was a sink with cold water and a lock on my door. Some things I don’t talk about.

Does volunteering feed your soul?

Erin: I would say volunteering feeds my soul for many reasons. It allows me to step back from myself and the things going on in my life, it reminds me that I am part of a larger community working to do something that matters. I’m not trying to do something all by myself. I took a class entitled Philosophy of Sex and Love. We discussed if it was possible to have an interaction with someone where the concepts of you and me, one and other, didn’t exist and those interacting were truly experiencing the togetherness of we. I feel that when I am volunteering. Volunteering is us working as one unit toward the same goal and assisting each other.

Robyn: Those aren’t words I would choose. Volunteering 16 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Anneke Bloomfield

puts my time and skills to good use. It provides a positive outlet for my energy, and it is gratifying to provide meaningful assistance to an organization that I care about.

Anneke: One thing of course is the “Never Again.” But mainly people and students especially should be aware that this can happen to them. How much suffering is going on in this world?

When I watch the news on television and it is about war my thoughts are of the children. Not only will there be mental scars, but also if you have been hungry like I have been, there are health problems later. I have had health problems due to this since I was 8 years old. My mother had my baby sister in the last part of the war and could not feed her. Due to this hunger, she was always breaking bones and had very bad teeth.

Starvation catches up with you, especially later in life. It breaks my heart to see children suffer. Food is very important to me.

To never waste anything. I scrounged for tulip bulbs and sugar beets or whatever I could find in the ground in the cold with my little hands, never knowing if I would see my family again.

To see young people leave food on their plates because they do not like it bothers me to no end.

Why do you volunteer?

Erin: I love doing it. It has always been a part of my life; I hope it stays part of my life. It helps calm and relax me, as well as accomplishing something great.

Robyn: I gave up the practice of law when my children were young, so volunteering has been a way to put my time and skills to good use. It is a positive outlet for my energy. It is gratifying to provide meaningful assistance to an organization I care about. My love for the Beit Am community makes me want to continue serving to help it flourish. It gives me a great sense of satisfaction to help the organization in the ways that I have, but I also feel so appreciated for what I do.

Members never fail to say thank you. We are the only Jewish congregation in the mid-Willamette Valley. Volunteering is not just supporting the goals of the organization, it’s volunteering for this amazing group of people.

Anneke: As long as people want to hear my story and are willing to learn from this, as long as I am capable of traveling, I will be a speaker for OJMCHE. Hopefully, in some small way, this will make this world a better place.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 17

C h a r i ta b l e G i v i n g

Charitable giving through ethical wills

By Julie Diamond

A

n ethical will is a document that is written to express someone’s deepest personal values in order to pass those along from one generation to the next. It is not legally

binding.

This practice, though it dates back to biblical and medieval times, resurfaced in the Jewish community around the 19th century and more recently has become widely used by other traditions and peoples. This personal expression can work in

How to begin writing an ethical will

By Gail Mandel

18 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

M

tandem with a legal will or estate plan, setting the groundwork for the successful passing of both financial assets and personal values.

As Jews, we know that modeling Jewish values to our children, our loved ones and in our community is a fundamental responsibility. We are a people devoted to tikkun olam and tzedakah – to repairing the world and to justice. So, you may wonder, isn’t a lifetime of actions enough? Don’t your children

aking the decision to write an ethical will can feel fulfilling, even empowering.

However, sitting down and writing one can be truly challenging. The wonderful thing is that there is no right or wrong way to write an ethical will, and yours can be as simple or complex as you wish. (See accompanying article “What is an ethical will?”)

A good place to start is to think about the larger themes that ethical wills typically address to decide what you want to share with family and friends. According to Dr. Eric L. Weiner, author of Ethical Wills: Words from the Jewish HEART, five major themes to consider are Heritage and Hopes for the Future; Ethics and Experiences in Life; Atonement and Appreciation; Religion, Spirituality and Core Beliefs; and Tikkun Olam and Treasures (gifts of value given to others).

After considering these larger themes, it is helpful to drill down further and decide what specific topics you want to cover in your ethical will. According to Ethical Wills & How to Prepare Them: A Guide to Sharing Your Values from Generation to Generation, edited by Rabbi Jack Riemer and Dr. Nathaniel Stampfer, some topics worth examining are: • Formative events in life • People who have influenced me most • Important lessons learned in life • Mistakes made during life that I would hope a loved one would not repeat • Causes and organizations important to the family.

Fortunately, several good books are available to help you craft a personal and meaningful ethical will. These books include prompts to help get you started as well as examples of both historic and modern ethical wills.

The statements in Oregon Jewish Community Foundation’s new Endowment Book of Life program are good examples, too, as they are akin to the messages conveyed in ethical wills.

These messages reflect how our community’s members feel about their lives, their values and how they want to be remembered by future generations.

Carol Danish, one of our first Book of Life signers, wrote the following: “How lucky I was to inherit tzedakah as a vital part of my Jewish existence. There was always a pushka on a windowsill, stories of turnip or potato sandwiches for those in need during the Depression

know how you view the world and what your hopes are for them? Not as much as you might think. And what about the grandchildren? How will your legacy be expressed later on after your children have married, perhaps married a non-Jewish partner, and moved away from the family? As Jews in a postHolocaust world, we know that as survivors pass, the direct links to that history diminish. Israel is a complicated topic for many. Also, not all of us are equally schooled in Jewish traditions, text and practices.

In our increasingly complex society, the answer is “no,” your actions during your lifetime aren’t enough. Nor is your legal will enough, although surely it will reflect your Jewish and personal values through the financial decisions you’ve made.

But if you don’t write something down in your own voice, your family members of the future won’t know your heartfelt stories of Shabbat celebrations, of cherished objects such as a favorite Kiddush cup, of what your grandmother would say to you on Hanukkah while lighting the flickering candles. Of mistakes you learned from and of the accomplishments that fill you with pride.

An ethical will is your opportunity to reflect on what matters to you most in your life, what you inherited from your ancestors and what you hope for in the next generation. This requires you to grapple with your mortality, your personal history and your vision for the future after you are gone.

OK, sure, this is hard work – but only you can create your own personal statement that will embody your legacy of the heart. It may take a day or longer. You might write it out perfectly the first time, or work in a journal for six months.

There are many guides and approaches. What a joy to go on this personal journey and share your ethical will with your family during your lifetime! (See sidebar on “How to begin writing an ethical will”). Finally, while our personal stories are our own, collectively they capture and reflect the beautiful legacy of the Jewish people.

Julie Diamond is president and CEO of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.

The 2017 Joshua Stampfer Community Enrichment Award will

“How lucky I was to inherit tzedakah as a vital part of my Jewish existence."

~Carol Danish

Carol Danish and Jen and Howard Feldman sign their Endowment Book of Life pages at the inaugural signing ceremony held in June 2017.

PHOTOS BY NAIM HASAN PHOTOGRAPHY

in South Portland and the opportunity of giving rather than receiving. Both my husband and I were of the same mind, to give as generously as we could to ensure vitality to our Portland community and to support the state of Israel. We have passed on the meaning of fulfillment that tzedakah brings to our children and grandchildren as their Jewish inheritance.”

Jen and Howard Feldman, also inaugural signers, wrote, “Leaving a legacy gift is our way of ensuring our children as well as future generations know this is what mattered to us; we hope it matters to you. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, so it is incumbent upon us to continue the legacy by investing in the present with the intention of helping secure the future.”

The Book of Life, located at the MJCC and online at ojcfbookoflife.org, is an evolving collection of legacy donors’ statements that share why they have left a legacy (after-lifetime gift) to support our Jewish community. These messages, which are concise when compared with a fully developed ethical will, communicate succinctly the values these individuals live by.

Consider writing an ethical will to accompany your traditional estate plan. It is a wonderful way to reflect on your life, and it can be a tremendous gift to your friends and loved ones.

Gail Mandel is the legacy development and marketing manager at the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 19

C h a r i ta b l e G i v i n g

Veterans find path home at Central City Concerns

By Deborah Moon

A “

On Veterans Day, remember those who served

s a country, as a community, we need to take care of the veterans who have put their lives on the line to protect our freedom; many come back very, very broken spiritually and mentally. They need our support,” says Major (Ret.) Lisa Walker, Veterans Program manager for Portland’s Central City Concerns.

Lisa should know. She served 21 years in the Air Force, including deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. For nearly seven years, she has worked at CCC helping veterans overcome obstacles to finding permanent housing. Many CCC clients suffer from PTSD, mental health issues and addiction.

“With multiple deployments they are exposed to horrific conditions more than once,” she says.

She says they pay a high price, including losing their families or homes, as they try to find a way to fit into the civilian life. “They can’t get the adrenaline flow to stop. So getting them into a stable environment and out of survival mode allows them to be successful.”

Women veterans have been increasingly affected by PTSD in recent years, says Lisa. “Since I’ve been here, we have served between five and seven women each year with PTSD as a result of military sexual trauma.”

Central City Concern has 11 facilities and about 800 staff members offering health care, mental health services, addiction services and employment programs to about 14,000 people per year.

CCC houses about 100 veterans a year with 65 units of transitional housing as well as additional support services. A housing case manager to help veterans in the program find permanent housing and an employment specialist assists those looking for work. CCC also provides assistance with obtaining birth certificates and/or IDs, transportation (bus tickets), and vouchers for clothing and basic necessities. A general case manager helps each vet reach their goals. A veteran’s length of stay ranges from four months to two years. Across all programs, including health services, CCC serves about 1,000 veterans a year.

On Oct. 1, CCC’s Veterans Program received a grant and per diem funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide transitional housing to veterans experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of homelessness. The grant funds 50 housing units for men and 15 for women.

Many of the veterans entering the program have significant barriers such as a criminal record, addiction, high debt, history of eviction. “Our program can go much longer than other housing programs,” says Lisa. “If they have significant issues, it may take longer to stabilize and get them in permanent housing.”

The new grant includes 15 beds for veterans coming out of hospital emergency rooms or inpatient care. “Once they are discharged, they would be on the street,” she says. In addition to the transitional housing, CCC connects them with the VA medical services they need.

The grant also enables the CCC Veterans Program to offer a very low-barrier program in which no one is turned away. While most programs require participants to be in mental health or addiction programs, this CCC program allows veterans to participate even if they are not ready to deal with their addiction or mental health issues.

“If they are still on the street, the prevalence of addiction is pretty high,” says Lisa. “Once they are in a stable environment, once they can decompress, they are often more willing to address issues than when they are on the street.”

Of the 65 openings available under the current grant, 15 specifically target veterans who have not been successful in more rigid programs. “We provide a safe environment while they stabilize,” she says. “We are excited. It provides an opportunity to serve vets who fell through the cracks.”

20 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

centralcityconcern.org/donate Hal Saltzman created picnic for homeless veterans Harold “Hal” Saltzman, z”l, contacted Central City Concern because he wanted to have an impact on veterans.

A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, he was concerned about the state of veterans in the Portland area. Hal’s passion propelled the creation of the Annual Veterans’ Picnic, an event that honors the contributions of veterans by providing a relaxing afternoon in a park with a free picnic lunch, music and speakers. Hal is the father of Oregon Jewish Life Publisher Cindy Saltzman.

Hal was very active in the planning for the first picnic in 2008 and covered all the costs for the event through 2010, the year before his death.

At CCC’s annual luncheon in 2011, the nonprofit honored Hal and presented a plaque to his wife, Ruth Saltzman, which read: “Thank you for your many contributions to the Portland community and for leaving no man or woman behind in your efforts to improve the lives of homeless veterans. Presented to the Saltzman Family.”

For those who want to continue Hal’s efforts to aid veterans, visit CCC’s website, which features information on planned giving, event tickets, and information on donating funds or material goods ranging from kitchen items to bicycles.

philodendron named Phil; “My plant likes the view,” she says.

Chrissy wants to someday be independent with a car and an apartment in Gresham (close to her dad). She hopes to have a dog and a place for her two grandsons to play. Her dream is to volunteer at the VA hospital and help other women veterans, especially those who might be battling an auto-immune disease like hers.

“It would be neat to pay it forward,” Chrissy says. “I feel really good about the future.”

Chrissy Kinsey

Jewish Family & Child Service Give. Inspire. Transform.

A veteran finds safety and a future at CCC When Chrissy Kinsey first saw her room in a downtown Portland Central City Concern supportive housing building, she instantly felt safe. Chrissy had followed a rocky road to get there, beginning with early childhood trauma that included a few years in foster care.

In 2008 Chrissy was excited to join the Army and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. A serious injury in a training accident ended her military career. She worked for a few years until she was struck by an auto-immune disease that greatly affects her mobility. She lost her income, escaped a bad relationship and eventually sought shelter at CCC. “My CCC case manager helps me to set goals and gives me tools I need to get organized and improve my income,” says Chrissy. “I’m focusing on getting my ducks in a row to get back to where I was.” She loves her small room where she lives with her

JFCS programs—like protective branches of the tree—help people meet their basic needs to live, heal, age with dignity and lead full and independent lives, all while being active in their community.

www.jfcs-portland.org

info@jfcs-portland.org

503.226.7079

JFCS is a subsidiary of Cedar Sinai Park

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 21

C h a r i ta b l e G i v i n g Alix Greenberg founded Portraits For Good to enable artists to support causes they believe in.

Alix Greenberg created this custom portrait of golden retrievers from a photo supplied by the owners.

Buy art, do good By Deborah Moon

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lix Greenberg has been an artist and an active member of her synagogue for as long as she can remember.

When someone offered to pay for her artwork for the first time a few years ago, she felt she could accept money only if she also gave back to the community that has given her such an incredible life. Alix now co-chairs the young adult leadership group at the synagogue where her mother was on the board. During high school, Alix led the synagogue’s youth group.

She realized other artists who have long stood strongly in support of many important issues often lack a way to directly impact those causes. So she created Portraits For Good, an online conduit to a variety of artists, with proceeds from every purchase donated to a nonprofit.

Portraits For Good partners with artists who create original art or limited edition prints that showcase their unique artistic style. Customers can also commission a piece from one of the artists on the site. Alix specializes in custom portraits of people and/or their pets.

Portraits For Good relaunches this month with an expanded roster of nearly 50 artists, many also Jewish. Some of the artists allow customers to choose a charity from the website’s growing list of beneficiaries; these include UJA-Federation of New York, Museum of Jewish Heritage, One Family: Overcoming Terror Together, Israel Museum-Jerusalem, the American Society For Yad Vashem, Breast Cancer Research Foundation and many others.

Other artists specify a specific charity for their work to benefit. For instance, artwork created

by Mike Natter and sold through the site benefits JDRF, which funds Type 1 diabetes research.

In addition, Portraits For Good and JDRF have produced limited edition prints by Natter, which were placed in each Bag of Hope – a knapsack given to children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Artists wanting to join the site should email Alix at alixandre.greenberg@gmail.com.

Customers can browse artwork for sale and locate artists who create custom pieces at portraitsforgood.com.

22 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

C h a r i ta b l e G i v i n g D i r e c t o r y GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND PO Box 151200 San Rafael, CA 94915-1200 800-295-4050 guidedogs.com/donate Guide Dogs for the Blind is the largest Guide Dog school in North America. GDB prepares highlyqualified guide dogs to serve and empower individuals who are blind/visually impaired at no cost to them. GDB receives no government funding and relies solely on the generosity of donors.

JEWISH FAMILY & CHILD SERVICE 1221 SW Yamhill St., Ste. 301 Portland, OR 97205 503-226-7079 info@jfcs-portland.org jfcs-portland.org Guided by the wisdom and values of our tradition, JFCS provides social services that improve the lives of adults, families and children in the Jewish and general communities. We partner in the community to help our most vulnerable residents, including seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals and families lacking basic necessities.

JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER PORTLAND 6680 SW Capitol Hwy. Portland, OR 97219 503-245-6219 info@jewishportland.org jewishportland.org Since 1920, JFGP has been your means of connecting with your community, discovering new ways to do good and giving back to those who came before you. By supporting a network of organizations and innovative programming, we meet the ongoing needs of people at home, in Israel and around the world.

MITTLEMAN JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER 6651 SW Capitol Highway Portland, OR 97219 503-452-3427 oregonjcc.org The MJCC serves individuals and families of all faiths and backgrounds for fitness, sports, educational and cultural activities.

Your generosity allows us to provide innovative programs to meet the ever-changing needs of our community in heath, wellness and arts and culture, where people of all ages can come together.

OREGON JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 1618 SW First Ave., Ste. 210 Portland, OR 97201 503-248-9328 info@ojcf.org ojcf.org OJCF promotes strategic philanthropy offering charitable individuals philanthropic tools including donor advised funds, charitable gift annuities, planned gifts and trusts. In partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, OJCF directs the LIFE &

LEGACY initiative in Oregon to promote after-lifetime giving to build endowments and strengthen Jewish organizations for future generations.

OREGON JEWISH MUSEUM AND CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST EDUCATION 724 NW Davis St. Portland, OR 97209 503-226-3600 info@ojmche.org ojmche.org In our new home, OJMCHE has deepened our focus on Jewish values and traditions, while also recognizing Jewish contributions to world culture and ideas and exploring issues of Jewish identity and the forces of prejudice. Our funding comes primarily through museum memberships and charitable donations and we welcome your support.

PORTLAND JEWISH ACADEMY 6651 SW Capitol Highway Portland, OR 97219 310-701-5208 pjaproud.org As a Jewish day school, we provide an academically rich environment honoring the whole child. PJA nurtures and inspires Jewish engagement, kavod/respect, and responsibility for the world. Supporting PJA through a bequest or other planned gift entitles you to become a member of our Planned Giving or Dor l’Dor Society.

FINANCIAL PLANNING GEVURTZ MENASHE 115 NW First Ave., Suite 400 Portland, OR 97209 503-227-1515 info@gevurtzmenashe.com gevurtzmenashe.com Through planning, maintenance and administration, it’s our goal at Gevurtz Menashe to create an estate plan that best protects your legacy. The law provides for many options when it comes to entrusting your life’s work, and we’re here to help guide you to the best course of action.

MORGAN STANLEY PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT 522 Fifth Ave., 10th Floor New York, NY 10036 212-296-6329 fwgsa@morganstanley.com The Family Wealth Group at Morgan Stanley PWM is a specialized team of interdisciplinary strategic advisors providing services including financial & investment planning, estate & family succession planning, philanthropic advisory and administrative services. The group is headed by Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor Robert Stolar, JD LLM. OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 23

COVER STORY

Ari Shapiro considers all things JOURNALIST AND SINGER BRINGS UNDERSTANDING HOME TO PORTLAND

By Deborah Moon

ARI SHAPIRO HAS TRAVELED THE WORLD as a journalist with NPR and a guest singer with Pink Martini. Now he wants to share the world he’s experienced with the city where he grew up – Portland.

“Between songs I talk about places I’ve been, people I’ve met and things I’ve seen,” says Ari of his one-man show “Homeward” (see page 26). “The songs string the stories together.”

“The show includes stories from Ukraine, Iraq, Scotland and other parts of the word, but it’s not about a specific place,” says Ari. “It’s about realizing that as far away as places seem geographically, there is much more we share in common with people than not.”

While he says he “uses different muscles” when he sings than when he is reporting, the two are quite similar.

“Both are about connecting with an audience and helping people understand something in a way that cuts through the noise,” says Ari. “Both are about storytelling.”

THE JOURNALIST

Ari is now one of four weekday cohosts of NPR’s award-winning afternoon news magazine, “All Things Considered.” The show debuted in 1971 and Ari joined the show in September 2015. NPR’s website says the two-hour show “consists of the biggest stories of the day, thoughtful commentaries, insightful features on the quirky and the mainstream in arts and life, music and entertainment, all brought alive through sound.”

Ari describes the creation of the show as a collaborative process in which the hosts create stories based on what they are curious about, what is in the news and what others are reporting on. Who will cover a disaster or major news event often depends on scheduling. “As hosts we have such a wide range of interests,” he says. “There are so many stories to tell there is room for everyone.”

24 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

“I relate to the pre-Portlandia aesthetic I grew up with.”

—Ari Shapiro

PHOTO BY CASSIDY DUHON

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 25

ARI SHAPIRO

LOOKS HOMEWARD WHO: Ari Shapiro WHAT: “Homeward,” Ari’s new one-man show with music WHEN: 7:30 pm, Nov. 16 & 17; 7 & 9 pm, Nov. 18 WHERE: World Trade Center #2, 121 SW Salmon, Portland MUSIC: Music direction by noted musical artist Gabriel Mangiante and a band featuring some of Portland’s finest musicians COST: $60 (plus service charge) at brownpapertickets.com/ event/3059439;

800-838-3006; $65 door

26 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

From top left: Ari Shapiro first took the stage at age 2 when he joined his brother Daniel on the bimah in North Dakota at the Fargo Hebrew Congregation singing “Adon Olam.”

The Shapiro family: Brothers Ari and Daniel, right, stand behind their parents, Elayne and Leonard Shapiro, at the Stanford graduation of their brother, Joseph (center front).

Ari Shapiro hard at work at NPR. PHOTO BY STEPHEN VOSS/NPR

Ari’s NPR career began when he was still a student at Yale.

He started as an intern for NPR Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg. After graduating magna cum laude, he joined NPR full time and has since reported from above the Arctic Circle and from five continents. He has covered wars in Iraq, Ukraine and Israel.

He was NPR’s correspondent at the Justice Department during the George W. Bush Administration and NPR’s White House correspondent for part of each of President Obama’s terms. He was embedded with the presidential campaign of Republican Mitt Romney during the 2012 election. Prior to joining “All Things Considered,” Ari was an international correspondent based in London, traveling the world to cover a range of topics for various NPR programs.

“I’m glad I had the opportunity to cover the White House and presidential campaign,” says Ari. “But I am glad to have moved on to cast a wider net.”

With so many diverse assignments, Ari is often asked about his favorite story.

“I’ve never been able to answer that question,” he says. “Partly because it is impossible to compare a small intimate story to a big national event and partly because every few months I am working on new stories I am excited about.”

He has been recognized frequently for his reporting, beginning at age 25 when he won the Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize for an investigation of methamphetamine use and HIV transmission. His coverage of disability benefits for injured American veterans earned him a laurel from The Columbia Journalism Review. The American Bar Association and the American Judges’ Association honored him for, respectively, exposing the failures of Louisiana’s detention system after Hurricane Katrina, and his work on U.S. courts and the American justice system.

“All Things Considered” seems an ideal platform for a man with so many interests and so many questions.

Has Judaism contributed to his career?

“As a journalist, you try not to be the focus, but you bring everything you are to the conversation,” says Ari. “Being raised in a tradition of questioning prepared me for a role where I now question everything every day.”

THE PERFORMER “Ari’s singing career began with ‘Adon Olam’ on the bimah at the Fargo Hebrew Congregation when he was 2,” says his mother, Elayne Shapiro.

After the family moved from North Dakota to Portland, Ari

took voice lessons and performed in musical theater.

Now he is a frequent guest performer with Portland’s Pink Martini, appearing on four of their albums, sometimes singing with China Forbes or Cantor Ida Rae Cahana. The little orchestra was founded in 1994 by Harvard graduate and pianist Thomas Lauderdale to perform at fundraisers for progressive causes.

Ari has appeared with Pink Martini in such respected venues as Carnegie Hall in New York, L’Olympia in Paris, Mount Lycabettus in Athens and the Hollywood Bowl in LA. Asked how he connected with Pink Martini, Ari confirmed an account from a 2013 Pink Martini blog post (pinkmartini.com/ari-shapiro-getshappy): “I grew up in Portland and have been a fan of the band since high school. I knew them when they were a teeny band playing in now-defunct bars around Portland. After finishing college I became friends with them and would throw parties for them any time they were in town.

“One year I threw a barbecue that turned into an all-night sing-along around the piano. The next day Thomas called me and asked if I wanted to record a song on their next album.

I hesitantly agreed, we recorded it at Kung Fu Bakery and I thought it would be a one-off type of thing. It wasn’t.”

Ari frequently sings that first song, “But Now I’m Back,” when he appears with the band. “It is the one (song) that shows up most on YouTube videos. But I’ve sung many other songs since.”

He is featured on four of the orchestra’s albums, singing in several languages. On Pink Martini’s 2010 album, Joy to the World, Ari sings the Ladino Hanukkah song “Ocho Kandelikas” (Eight Little Candles) and the Hebrew prayer “Elohai N’tzor.” On the band’s most recent album, Je Dis Oui! (2016), he sings a new Arabic version of “La Soledad.”

His parents (Leonard and Elayne) are frequently in the audience when he performs with Pink Martini in Portland and elsewhere in the United States.

“No matter how many times we have seen Pink Martini, their exuberant and sensitive response to music under the leadership of Thomas Lauderdale fills the soul,” says Elayne.

Speaking of Ari’s singing, she adds, “His singing fills our hearts.”

Over the years many people have asked Ari to consider performing a solo show, and he always said no, in part because he wasn’t sure he had anything to say and in part because of logistics such as financing, venues, etc. Then his friend,

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 27

Septime Weber, former artistic director of the Washington Ballet, asked Ari to do a cabaret show for an arts series he was creating.

Septime told Ari he would handle all the logistics; all Ari had to do was prepare a show.

Ari says he realized, “If I can’t say yes under those circumstances, I will never be able to do it.”

Still hesitant, Ari stayed low key and didn’t tell friends about the show. “Homeward” sold out for the April show in Washington, D.C., and he agreed to reprise it in August at Joe’s Pub in New York City.

“So I thought I would do some more,” says Ari. “Where would I want to do it? Portland was near the top of the list.”

THE PERSON Ari says he loves Portland’s people, food and outdoors.

“I feel very much like a Portlander, though with no tattoos or piercings,” says Ari. “I ride a bike everywhere; I don’t even have a car. I relate to the prePortlandia aesthetic I grew up with.”

The Shapiro family moved from North Dakota to Portland when Ari was 8.

Along with older brother, Daniel, and younger brother, Joseph, Ari was active at Congregation Neveh Shalom and in United Synagogue Youth. He graduated from Beaverton High School in 1996.

He attended afternoon Hebrew School at Portland Jewish Academy and became a bar mitzvah at Neveh Shalom.

“Growing up we attended services almost every weekend,” says Ari. “Judaism was a real part of my childhood.

My parents had a kosher home, and we often led services at Robison Home.”

Now members of Havurah Shalom, Leonard and Elayne still lead services on the Cedar Sinai Park campus as well as for the North Coast Shabbat Group.

Though he no longer attends services every week, Ari and his husband, Michael Gottlieb, celebrate the holidays, have a seder every year and host or attend

28 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Ari Shapiro performs “But Now I’m Back” with Pink Martini.

SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGE

COURTESY OF SHAPIRO FAMILY

a Shabbat dinner on a semi-regular basis.

Ari and Michael met at Yale. In 2004 when San Francisco issued marriage licenses to same sex couples, Ari and Michael married in city hall.

The following year they planned a wedding for family and friends officiated by Portland Rabbi Daniel Isaak and San Francisco Rabbi Martin Weiner.

“Although officiating at a gay marriage is not particularly controversial today, Ari’s wedding was my first,” says Rabbi Isaak, now emeritus rabbi of the Conservative congregation Neveh Shalom. “Rabbi Weiner, Michael’s rabbi, had been a Reform rabbi from San Francisco. I was sure I could lean on him a little and told him in our phone conversation that I had never officiated at a gay wedding. I was a bit surprised when he told me that neither had he.

“I was also glad that the ceremony would take place in California, since I had no idea as to what kind of criticism I might get from my congregants. Little did I realize how many of my congregants would be guests at the wedding, all dear friends of the Shapiros.

Elayne and Leonard were active Neveh Shalom members and … I had the privilege of officiating at many of the Shapiro life-cycle events.”

Elayne says she and Leonard are proud of the work Ari does and the music he creates.

“Nothing about Ari’s life seems natural to us. Hiking with him from Multnomah Falls to Wakeena Falls seems natural,” says Elayne. “His singing fills our hearts. Ari’s journalism career generates a variety of feelings: gratitude that he has work he loves; fear because journalism is a dangerous career in these times; happiness because we know where he is most days. …He brought Mike Gottlieb into our lives and that is a joy.”

Ari returns to Portland a couple of times a year to report or perform with Pink Martini.

“I get to see my family and spend time in a city I would love to visit – even if I didn’t have family there.”

FRONT & CENTER

Fendel’s jazz series returns with Israeli Ehud Asheri

Ehud Asheri. Photo by Marlon Krieger

By Deborah Moon

George Fendel, 75, has lived jazz for most of his life.

While his peers were listening to Buddy Holly, George discovered that jazz “really resonated for me a whole lot more.”

He soon realized performing was not where he would make his mark.

“I know my skill level,” says George, who enjoys playing jazz piano, though not at the level of the music he shared during his 28-year career in jazz radio in Portland. “I’m nowhere near what these guys do. That’s not modest, that’s fact.”

He calls meeting Ira Gershwin in 1961 “a big moment in my life.” Visiting friends in Los Angeles, 19-year-old George decided to drive to Gershwin’s home in Beverly Hills to thank him personally for an autographed photo of the Gershwin brothers that his mother had gotten for him. He was amazed to be invited in to meet the man who “contributed so much to America’s song book.”

Through jazz clubs, his radio show and as a three-term president of the Jazz Society of Oregon, George went on to meet a lot of celebrated jazz musicians and formed close friendships with many. He now draws on his connections with the jazz world to promote occasional live concerts at Classic Pianos in

Portland.

The series began eight years ago when his friend Alan Broadbent – a two-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist, composer and arranger – called to say he was visiting Portland in a nonmusical capacity and wanted to have lunch with George.

“I asked him, ‘If I can find you a good piano someplace, will you play?’ ” says George. “He said ‘Sure. Just give me the door after your expenses. But make sure it’s a good piano.’ ” George connected with Classic Pianos, home of the 100-seat Recital Hall that features a concert-level grand piano.

“We filled the place on a week and a half notice,” says George. “Now we’re in our eighth year of doing these concerts.”

George says he doesn’t make money on the concerts himself.

He does it “for the thrill of doing it and re-establishing friendships with musicians I know.”

The next concert in the occasional series will feature Israeli jazz pianist Ehud Asheri.

Born in Israel in 1979, Ehud’s family moved to New York when he was a child. The New Yorker has called Ehud "a master of swing and stride." Ehud began playing piano as a child and discovered a passion for jazz with his first visit to Smalls Jazz club in Greenwich Village. Ehud learned the ropes at Smalls, spending his early teens becoming a fixture of the late-night jam sessions.

This is a return engagement for Ehud, who George said was very popular when he was here in July and again in November of last year.

“He loves playing here, and he credits us with him playing more solo piano,” says George.

GEORGE FENDEL PRESENTS

WHO: Pianist Ehud Asheri with singer Hilario Gardner WHEN: 3 pm, Sunday, Nov. 5 WHERE: Classic Pianos, 3003 SE Milwaukie (corner of Southeast Powell)

George Fendel

TICKETS: $20 suggested donation; call Peggy at 503-239-9969 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 29

FRONT & CENTER

PREVIEWS

Actor Ed Asner is a grouchy old man (just ask him).

Ed Asner: Actor, Activist and Grouchy Historian

By Deborah Moon

30 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Thirty-five years after his popular TV drama “Lou Grant” was cancelled as Asner spoke out against U.S. policy in Central America, Asner is still a vocal and fiery activist working to alleviate the wrongs he sees in society.

When he turns 88 on Nov. 15, Asner will be in the middle of a 13-day road trip performing his one-man show, “A Man and His Prostate,” and speaking about his new book. The Grouchy Historian: An Old-Time Lefty Defends Our Constitution Against Right-Wing Hypocrites and Nutjobs was released in October. Both projects are collaborative efforts with Ed Weinberger, with whom he last worked when Weinberger produced and wrote for the “Mary Tyler Moore Show” where the character of Lou Grant was created. The trip includes

Oregon, where Asner had a beach house for many years and often came to visit his daughter who lived in Gresham for 20 years.

“It is intimidating me a great deal,” says Asner, noting the trip includes a lot of travel, performing and speaking engagements. “I’m getting too old for that crap. … I’m lucky to be able to sit and digest my paper thoroughly.”

Yet he’s still acting on stage and television, and performing as a voice actor. The seven-time Emmy winner has gueststarred on several TV shows in the past decade including “CSI: NY” and “The Good Wife.” In 2009 he starred as the voice of Carl Fredricksen in Pixar's animated film “Up,” which he says was mislabelled a kids’ film. “I call it a double love story,” he says. He adds that the old man’s rediscovery of love and adventure after the death of his beloved wife, Ellie, is a stirring reminder for seniors that life can find new highs.

Born Yitzhak Edward Asner in Kansas City, MO, Asner grew up in an Orthodox home. His mother had immigrated from the Ukraine and his father from the border near Belarus and Lithuania. “I did not express myself politically while they were alive,” he says.

But now Asner is active speaking out for issues he cares about, ranging from autism to unions.

His passion for the former stems from his youngest son Charlie’s diagnosis as autistic; now 30, Charlie recently received a bachelor’s degree in ecology and is working toward his masters at the University of New Haven. Asner, and now his oldest son, Matt, have been active in Autism Speaks, which promotes increased awareness of and opportunities for people with autism.

His devotion to unions included three terms as president of the Screen Actors Guild. “You are not a just and fair society until society espouses the rights of labor,” he says.

“I was always a union man, but I didn’t speak out until I was doing ‘Lou Grant,’ ” says Asner.

“I grew to celebrity on ‘Mary Tyler Moore Show,’ ” he says.

When CBS asked Asner to perform in a spin-off, he says he was as surprised as anyone when two former MTM producers suggested that rather than creating another comedy show, Lou Grant should become a newspaperman in a onehour drama.

“I enjoyed the call to deal with issues,” says Asner. “The show became good at confronting issues that confronted Americans at that time.”

Asner had reconnected with Weinberger in 2015 to star in the play based on Weinberger’s seven-day stay in an Italian

hospital with a prostate condition. Though 90% of men older than 85 have prostate problems, Asner says his prostate is just fine. “Every 16 minutes a man dies in this country from prostate cancer,” he says. “The show has a lot of laughs and important information one should know about prostate cancer.”

The show hadn’t been on the road for long when the 2016 presidential campaign season took an ostentatious turn. (Throughout the interview for this piece, Asner never mentioned President Trump’s name; he referred only to this administration or this president.)

“The call to truth and honesty and the need to improve the state of our deteriorating democracy necessitated our collaboration,” says Asner of the pair’s new book.

“We’ve always had divides – a lot unspoken, a lot silent,” says Asner of the climate in America. “It has become very open and marked – particularly with this president. He has brought the Republicans into the open so the American people can see what they are doing.”

Speaking the day after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Asner added, “The idiocy of gun control in our country is one example of the mismanagement and lack of concern for innocent citizens. … Can Congress put aside all the wealth they receive from the gun people and try to adjudicate a decent law that screens out a lot of the guns that are out there?”

Asner had never owned a gun until he received death threats when he spoke out against Reagan’s policies in Central America; at that time he bought a gun to protect himself and his family. But looking back he says he realizes, “That was not the best option. Instead of grabbing guns, we should grab our congressmen and get them to write better laws.”

Asner says he hopes The Grouchy Historian will make people “think very carefully when someone claims to know what the framers of the Constitution had done.” Promotional materials for the book say, “There’s no way that two hundred-plus years later, the right-wing ideologues know how to interpret the Constitution. On their way home from Philadelphia, the people who wrote it couldn’t agree on what it meant.”

Asner adds, “I encourage everyone to see the Constitution as a living, breathing document to be played with and managed to increase the justice we live by.”

ED ASNER IN OREGON

Nov. 11, 7:30 pm “A Man and His Prostate” One-man show starring Ed Asner Elsinore Theater, 170 High St. SE, Salem Tickets: $20-39, elsinoretheatre.com Nov. 12, 11 am Live Wire taping Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., Portland Tickets: ticketfly.com/event/1558122-live-wire-luke-burbanked-portland Nov. 12, 4 pm The Grouchy Historian Book reading and signing Powell’s Books in Cedar-Hills Crossing, 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton 800-878-7323 Nov. 13, 8:30 am KATU AM Northwest Live OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 31

FRONT & CENTER

Ezra Weiss and all that jazz

Ezra Weiss.

Photo by Vanished Twin Photography

By Gloria Hammer

Either way you say it – Music Man or Man, Music! – Ezra Weiss loves jazz. His enthusiasm is contagious, his involvement is impressive. Portland can thank Ezra’s Oberlin College buddy, Zack Hickman, for suggesting that they move to Portland after graduation in 2001. Besides rave album reviews and airtime, he teaches at Portland State University. He leads his own sextet and The Ezra Weiss Big Band. Northwest Children’s Theatre will produce his version of “Cinderella” this winter.

If you are a jazz fan, you may have seen Ezra headlining at some of the USA’s greatest clubs. The list is long and among them are Nighttown in Cleveland; Ryles in Boston; Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, Smalls and Tonic in New York City; Triple Door in Seattle; and our own Jimmy Maks before it closed.

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

At what point did you know music would be your life’s work?

I can’t pinpoint a specific moment or event where I knew I would be a musician. I don’t think I ever really considered doing anything else. In college I considered a double major in music and English, so I could fall back on being an English teacher if the music thing didn’t work out. I quickly realized if there were any chance of becoming a professional musician, I would need to devote 100% of my energy to it. I dropped the English major.

Why jazz?

I got my start in musical theater at 10 years old. I was introduced through my dad’s record collection, a lot of great classic shows. About that same time I started playing in the 32 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

school band. Then rock bands outside of school. Towards the end of high school, I heard Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue.” I loved how it had the same sense of storytelling as the musicals, with characters and drama. At the same time, it was nonfiction. It wasn’t actors pretending to be somebody, it was real people expressing themselves. They were improvising; it was like they were expressing their thoughts as they were thinking them, just like characters in musical theater. Playing jazz was the closest we could be to being characters in a musical. That’s what made me want to pursue it.

You wrote an article in Jazzed Magazine entitled “The Importance of Listening.” It transcends the art of music and spills into all walks of life. Can you sum up your thoughts?

Listening to music is so important for musicians, especially young musicians. Listening is how we develop our own taste and our own sound and get inspired. Technology has made it easier to have access to music but harder to really listen to it.

There’s so much available for free through the Internet that we get overwhelmed. Very different from when I was growing up. We would go and buy an album and listen to it a bunch of times to really get our money’s worth. I advise students to set aside time for listening. I tell them to buy albums and listen to them enough to get their money’s worth.

Who were your jazz idols growing up? Who do you listen to now?

Growing up, I listened to Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra and Carmen McRae. I was more focused on musical theater, first the classic shows and then Stephen Sondheim’s musicals. Towards the end of high school, I got a few jazz albums that had a huge impact on me. Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Kenny Garrett and Joshua Redman. I still love all those

people, but there are a few jazz composers/arrangers today who I listen to all the time: Maria Schneider, Billy Childs and Vince Mendoza. Those three provide me with all kinds of inspiration!

There is the songwriting of Joni Mitchell and the sensitivity of Shirley Horn. I find myself constantly coming back to listen to them.

What are you listening for?

Pleasure. Well, that’s an oversimplification. I think I listen to music because it expresses something I relate to, an empathetic connection. Sometimes it can be a sad thing. But there is comfort in hearing the music express an understanding of that sadness. There are times when I find pleasure in hearing new things.

You work with the Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble.

What is their mission?

I’m blessed to get to work with the PJCE. I am grateful that they commissioned new music from me. They are really interested in promoting the creation of new music by local composers and making that music connect with our local community.

I’ve just started working on a large collaborative piece for them with writer S. Renee Mitchell and vocalist Marilyn Keller. Their Artistic Director Douglas Detrick has been amazing, helping us develop the scope of this piece and how it will connect with the community. PJCE puts so much effort into supporting the creative process.

Did your family celebrate Jewish holidays?

Yes we did. My favorite memory was having our whole extended family come from out of town to our house in Phoenix for Passover. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents – everybody!

What a fun time to be a little kid.

You speak highly of Oberlin Conservatory Professor Wendell Logan. What made him stand out?

Wendell Logan was possibly the most knowledgeable person I’ve ever met. He really introduced me to the importance of culture in music, particularly the importance of African-American culture in jazz. I’m teaching jazz arranging now; it’s made me think a lot about Wendell Logan. While composing, I used to ask myself what Wendell would’ve had to say about whatever I was working on. Now I’m asking myself what he would say about my teaching. He was from an older generation. Our relationship was formal. While many students would call him Wendell, I called him Mr. Logan until after I graduated, when he finally looked at me, laughed and said, “Call me Wendell.”

He never praised my work directly. I was surprised to hear he spoke highly of my work to others. I learned not to seek his praise but to seek his critiques and suggestions for improvement. And to find what I like in my music for myself, my own voice. By my senior year I’d go over to his house once in awhile, and I honestly don’t really remember what we talked about, just the slow cadence of our conversations. Whatever I know about writing music, I owe to Wendell.

What brought you to Portland?

My college buddy, Zack Hickman, had taken a road trip around the country, and he said he thought Portland would be a great place to live. Zack, Kelly Roberge and I decided we would move to Portland after graduation. Zack got a call to do a short tour, so Kelly and I went to Portland. The singer/songwriter Zack was going to tour with for a few months ended up getting signed to Sony Records, so Zack moved to Boston to continue

working with Josh Ritter. Kelly and I were in Portland. Kelly left after a year to go to grad school. I stuck around.

You wear many hats – composer, teacher, bandleader, dad.

Which is your favorite?

I love them all. Being a dad is the one I think is the most important. I make that my top priority.

Tell us about a favorite album you produced.

I’m proud of the different albums for different reasons. But I think of them like a photo album. They bring up memories for me of a certain time in my life and where I was at that time. I focus on what they mean to me personally more than on which is the highest quality. I am proud that they are pretty different from each other.

Any advice for up-and-coming artists?

Don’t seek external validation for your work: awards, fame, money, even other people liking your music. You have no control over those things. Just ask yourself what you’re wanting to say with your work, and if your work accomplishes that. If it does, then call it a win. If not, then keep at it until it does. If that’s not enough for you, then a different line of work might suit you better.

Your thoughts on the jazz scene in Portland?

Portland has an amazing jazz scene. For the size of the city, we have a disproportionate number of great players. Some of the greatest musicians I’ve heard in my entire life live in Portland. It would be nice to see enough venues come up for all of these great players to have enough work. But the jazz club scene here ebbs and flows. I’m hoping Portlanders will keep coming out to support live music.

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OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 33

ACTIVELY SENIOR 34 Robison Rehab 36 Brain Fitness 38 Comforting Mourners 39 Ask Helen 40 PEARLS of Wisdom 43 Fall Prevention 44 Wondering Jews 45 Senior Resources

34 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Robison Home reinvented as rehab center

By Deborah Moon

R

obison Home has reopened as a state-of-the-art, short-stay rehab center.

Cedar Sinai Park’s legacy building still houses the synagogue, which is open to all CSP residents and guests, and Adult Day Services in an attached building. But the hallmark of Robison Health & Rehabilitation Center is a modern rehab center with 44 private rooms featuring en suite bathrooms with walk-in showers.

“This is a change in the mix of Cedar Sinai Park services,” says David Fuks, who served as CSP’s interim CEO from May through September and is continuing to assist with the transition. “Our goal is to help people succeed with the lowest (possible) level of care.”

The rehab facility will help people return home as soon as possible after a significant health event such as a heart attack, stroke, broken bone or other trauma. Most patients will stay only two or three weeks.

“Rehab is a natural fit for this campus,” says Robison Administrator Mike Martynowicz. “We have assisted living, housing with services and in-home care. This will help patients coming from the hospital get back to those areas.

It’s a big gap if we didn’t have this.”

The new facility and equipment are “beyond compare,” says Mike, who has worked in post-acute care most of his career. “I haven’t seen anything like it before. Every little detail has been thought of.”

Before taking the reins at CSP as CEO on Sept. 25, Martin Baicker served as CEO of a Jewish senior campus in Massachusetts that offered a similar range of services including post-acute care.

“This (rehab) is a needed service for the community,” says Marty. “It helps with the mission of the community, and it helps the financial side.” He notes that in Massachusetts about 80% of the rehab patients were covered by Medicare, and the remainder had private insurance to cover the cost.

“This increases the likelihood that Robison will be able to break even,” says David, adding that the goal may take about a year to achieve. As a nursing home, Robison Home typically operated at a deficit, because 60% of the residents were on Medicaid, which pays about 25% less than the actual cost of care. Community support has made up the gap.

CSP residents on Medicaid and others who need long-term care now live in the new Harold Schnitzer Center for Living, which has four households, each with 12 residents. “They are living in homes,” says David.

“Robison will be useful to our residents in Rose Schnitzer Manor (assisted living) and the Harold Schnitzer Center,” says David. “It will be easy to access rehab. They don’t need to change their room, they can come in and get rehab.”

Residents from CSP’s four affordable housing buildings in downtown Portland will also be able to come to the new rehab center to assist their transition from hospital to home.

“This is designed for short stays."

~ David Fuks Photo by Deborah Moon

The need for post-acute rehab centers arose from the shift in medical care in the United States in recent decades.

“After surgery, you used to get rehab in the hospital,” says David. “These days surgery is outpatient or very short stay.”

At Robison, patients can deal with their health issue and get physical and occupational rehab to develop the skills to return home. “This is designed for short stays,” says David. “People do better if they go home.”

David, who returned from retirement to lead CSP during the search for a new CEO, says that the community now has two formidable leaders. Marty is CEO of the campus, and Mike is administrator of both Robison and the Harold Schnitzer Center for Living.

“Marty is a seasoned administrator who knows his way around all aspects of health care within the Jewish community,” says David. “Mike has already improved the care in this organization and is pulling together teams that will fulfill the quality of care this community has always been known for.”

Through leadership, fund-raising and commitment to the Fifth Commandment, the community has enabled the three men to advance CSP’s mission to serve the elderly. David says, “We are the conduits of the mitzvah this community has performed.”

Retaining the name Robison is an important reminder of that mitzvah according to David.

CSP Leadership Team: From left are Mike Martynowicz, administrator of Robison Health & Rehabilitation Center and the Harold Schnitzer Center for Living; Martin W. Baicker, CEO of Cedar Sinai Park; and David Fuks, who returned to CSP in May to serve as interim CEO. “Hannah Robison deserves to be honored because of what she represents in this community,” he says. “During the Depression – and I had this story confirmed by Jerry Stern, z”l, who lived in the neighborhood – Hannah went around the neighborhood with two cloth bags. Anyone who had food put it in, and anyone who needed food took some out. It was totally anonymous. She went to every house, and no one knew who put in and who took out. … For us to continue to honor her memory as we move into a new phase of health care is brilliant.”

Other names are also being honored with the refurbished facility. The synagogue, scheduled to reopen later this month, is being named in honor of Sara Cogan, who was killed by a car during her term as CSP president. Jim and Susan Winkler made a gift with the opportunity to name Adult Day Services, which is scheduled to return to the legacy building late this year, will honor the Winkler family's gift from Jim and Susan Winkler.

A formal dedication of the renovated facility is being planned for some time in the spring.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 35

ACTIVELY SENIOR

Keep your brain fit

By Deborah Moon

A

Andrea Brandt, Ph.D.

NATIONAL ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH In 1983 President Ronald Reagan designated November as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. A decade later, he himself was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, from which he died in 2004.

When the president designated the awareness month, fewer than 2 million Americans had Alzheimer’s; today, the number of people diagnosed with the disease has soared to nearly 5.4 million.

lzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The Alzheimer’s Association website (azl.org) reports: “A number of studies indicate that maintaining strong social connections and keeping mentally active as we age might lower the risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s.”

So in honor of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, we spoke with Mindful Aging author Andrea Brandt, Ph.D., MFT, about how you can engage your brain for a more fulfilling life.

“I just turned 77 this summer, and I have never been busier,” says Dr. Brandt, whose book on aging went on sale Oct. 10. She has more than 35 years of clinical experience as a psychotherapist and has been featured as a media expert on numerous television programs, radio shows and podcasts.

Growing up, she attended Sunday school and celebrated Jewish rituals and holidays. While she now considers herself more spiritual than religious, she continues to host a Passover seder every year and celebrates Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

“I make a beef brisket that is not to be matched,” she says.

She is clearly following the advice in her book’s subhead, Mindful Aging: Embracing Your Life After 50 to Find Fulfillment, Purpose and Joy. The following interview has been edited lightly for brevity and clarity.

CAN YOU BRIEFLY SHARE RESULTS OF STUDIES THAT TIE CONTINUED LEARNING TO POSSIBLE DELAY OF ALZHEIMER’S? A study sponsored by the European Commission’s Lifelong Learning Programme found that quality of life improved significantly among participants in educational projects. Another study, conducted by the epidemiologist David Snowdon, of nuns who frequently engaged in mental challenges such as quizzes and puzzles showed that many of the sisters whose brains showed signs of Alzheimer’s disease after they died had continued to score in the 90th percentile on cognitive tests until their death. What we call play, researchers call brain training.

IN YOUR BOOK YOU WRITE: “WHILE THERE ARE PLENTY OF HEALTH-ORIENTED REWARDS TO INSPIRE YOU TO STAY MENTALLY ENGAGED, THE BIGGEST BONUS IS THE FUN.” CAN YOU SHARE SOME EXAMPLES OF FUN YOU CAN HAVE AS A MENTALLY ENGAGED/ACTIVE SENIOR? Just knowing you’re capable of improving is powerful. If you’ve always wanted to try something, do something, learn something new – an instrument, a language and a creative pursuit – but believed you were too old, think again. I think the following activities can really help our brains as we age: yoga, tai chi and learning a language.

WHAT ARE SOME EASY WAYS TO START ENGAGING YOUR BRAIN? Exercise your body to exercise your brain.

Engage your mind and train your brain.

Don’t get too comfortable.

WHAT IS THE KEY MESSAGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR AGING POPULATION ABOUT ENGAGING YOUR BRAIN? The science of brain plasticity reveals that you are capable of, and should, continually grow throughout your life. To remain your healthiest cognitively, continue to learn and do new things – always be stepping into the territory of the new and unknown. Think of brain fitness like physical fitness – if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.

It is possible to keep your brain fit as you age, and even improve it.

36 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

“Rose Schnitzer Manor attracts creative people. We have a variety of art classes, plus creative writing and play production. The walls here glow with our residents' work, and every smile brightens.”

- Marion Gans, Resident

Love. Honor. Respect

Assisted Living Community Life Continues Here™

Ask About Our Move-In Special 503-535- 4000 tours@cedarsinaipark.org OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 37

ACTIVELY SENIOR

Yad B’Yad volunteers hold hands of mourners in comfort

By Debra Shein

T

his spring, Congregation Neveh Shalom members Dale Oller and Sarah Coblens launched Yad b’Yad (Hand in Hand) to support mourners through the difficult process of grieving and adjustment during the first year after the loss of a close relative. Coblens believes Yad b’Yad is the only such initiative in the Northwest Jewish community.

As a part of the effort, Oller, a psychiatrist by profession, has authored a series of four booklets that offer advice to mourners and provide an introduction to Jewish rituals surrounding mourning for those who may not be fully acquainted with the details.

Oller and Coblens met at morning minyan shortly after each of their husbands had passed away. They each felt they had found a kindred spirit and began to discuss what more could be done to help others who had lost someone close. After brainstorming along with Rabbi Eve Posen and CNS Education Administrator JoAnn Bezodis, they decided to organize a band of volunteers who themselves had lost loved ones, and who would pair up with new mourners.

Yad b’Yad provides sustained, one-toone contact beginning on the first day and continuing throughout the first year after a loss. After learning that someone in the

Sarah Coblens (left) and Dale Oller (right), founders of Yad b’Yad, stand in front of a graphic of the Shehecheyanu prayer in the Congregation Neveh Shalom foyer.

38 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

ACTIVELY SENIOR

CNS community has newly become a mourner, a Yad b’Yad contact reaches out as soon as possible and brings a challah along with a bottle of juice or wine the first Shabbat following the death. The representative keeps in touch throughout the year, preparing the mourner and offering assistance, especially at the various milestones along the way – the end of sheloshim (the first 30 days after the death), the quarterly yizkor (memorial) services, the unveiling and the first yahrzeit (anniversary of death). The nearly 20 volunteers meet monthly to support each other and discuss ideas for improving the process. They have found that the act of comforting others has helped them to further process their own grief, as well.

Oller began writing her series of booklets as a way to help process the sadness and fear of being a widow. In a touching, empathetic fashion, she interweaves a discussion of the many variations of current Jewish practice with the story of her own experience mourning her husband, Earl.

As she writes in her introduction, “Judaism can offer a valuable road map to help you transition through your grief.

Contained in this booklet are some suggestions and examples of ways to do this. Jewish tradition is committed to life and joy.

It helps us acknowledge the sadness of loss, and also provides us with rituals to mark the milestones that help us to move through the mourning process. But Judaism also mandates that in this period, we move toward life and hope.”

The first booklet discusses the “The Three S’s: Shomrim, Shivah and Sheloshim;” the second addresses “The Grieving Process;” the third reflects on “The Middle Months of Mourning;” and the fourth covers “The Unveiling and Yahrzeit.”

Coblens, who lost her husband Ross to a brain tumor (and her mother to Alzheimer’s during the same period), also brings a great deal of experience and wisdom to the project. She first became a mourner at age 2 after her father passed away.

Even though she was so young, her mother impressed on her the importance of attending yizkor. She feels that her life experiences have helped her to develop compassion. Coblens went on to a career as a public relations specialist in the medical field and now serves the National Brain Tumor Society as an advocate for families dealing with this deadly disease.

Recently, she attended their annual “Head to the Hill” event in Washington, D.C., and met with congressional representatives and staffers to try to convince them to provide additional funding to battle the condition.

Oller and Coblens hope to continue building Yad b’Yad and look forward to offering expanded resources to mourners in the years ahead. For more information, contact the CNS office at 503-246-8831.

Neveh Shalom member Debra Shein is a faculty member in English at Portland Community College and a volunteer for the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.

ask helen Coping in noisy hospital as loved one passes on A Nosh of Jewish Wisdom: Recovering from an illness makes one feel like returning to the days of one’s youth.

Dear Helen: Ten years ago my sister went through several rounds of chemo and her cancer went into remission. We had a long time together, but her cancer came roaring back like a freight train after we’d all pushed it to the back of our minds. In her last days she was in a lot of pain despite the meds. On her floor was a very loud and unhappy patient.

I do not know his medical issues, but he made sure that everyone knew of all his complaints about pain and “bad service.” We were trying to keep Deborah’s passing gentle (think harp music and soft prayers). This man was hugely disruptive. The nurses tried to pacify us until the complaints from other patients’ families got loud enough that they finally moved him. I know part of my anger is grief, but what can I do to make sure others do not die this way?

Sobbing Sister Dear Sobbing Sister: In such circumstances, protecting the dying person is the single most important thing. In the future, should God forbid you encounter such circumstances, start with a complaint at the nurse’s station asking that the disruptive patient be told to keep her/her voice down or s/he will be moved into a room with a door that is kept closed. If that does not work, start your way up the hospital food chain, both medical and administrative. Ask each person to stand in the hallway outside your sister’s room and listen for ten minutes to what the families are being subjected to. That should be enough to get a change. If not, ask your doctor to request a room transfer to a different floor. As a last resort, saying that you would prefer not to consult your attorney should motivate almost any administrator.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 39

ACTIVELY SENIOR

RESOURCES

Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives for Seniors:

pearlsprogram.org

DOUGLASS RUTH, LCSW, Clinical Director douglassruth@jfcs-portland.org 503-226-7079, ext. 124 SARAH HOLLINGSWORTH, LMH, PEARLS Program Manager sarahhollingsworth@jfcs-portland.org MISSY FRYE, MSW, CSWA, Behavioral Health Social Worker and Clinical Case Manager at Rose Schnitzer Manor Missy.Fry@cedarsinaipark.org 503-535-4012

Left to right: Sarah Hollingsworth, Douglass Ruth and Missy Frye at the JFCS office.

PEARLS of Wisdom

By Liz Rabiner Lippoff

40 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

W

hen Polina Munblit takes potential residents on tours through the newly refurbished Rose Schnitzer Manor, Cedar Sinai Park’s assisted living facility in Portland, she explains their options and answers their questions.

She later welcomes the new residents as they move in, helps them get settled and introduces them around. She is not, however, a social worker; her job title is senior living advisor.

People seldom move to assisted living because they want to, Polina explains. Maybe they have lost a spouse or their health is failing. Or they had to give up their car. Some people, she says, are being pushed by their children.

“The decision, the moving process, losing independence ... there are a lot of changes,” says Polina. “People may be resentful or sarcastic or sad. And now people are moving in older than before, so they may be even more resistant to change.”

A lot of residents, in short, need help coping.

“Everyone here cares deeply about our residents, so I, all the staff, do try to help with the transition. But there’s only so much I can do. I don’t have the qualifications to sit with them and work through their grief and adjustment.”

Enter Jewish Family and Child Service and PEARLS. The “Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives for Seniors” is an evidencebased counseling protocol developed at the University of Washington about 15 years ago to help older adults and adults with epilepsy deal with depression. It comprises eight counseling sessions in 19 weeks and is unique in several ways: • All sessions are conducted in the client’s home.

• It coordinates with local programs and resources to extend the reach of the counseling.

• It models itself after chronic care and collaborative care models, wherein the therapist and client work together to identify feelings, issues, barriers, and possible tools and solutions.

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ACTIVELY SENIOR

When Multnomah County decided to try it, JFCS submitted a proposal. It would be an expansion of the social work and counseling they already provided, and it would enable JFCS to help people throughout the tri-county area, says JFCS Clinical Director Doug Ruth, LCSW. They were jazzed when JFCS and a few other agencies received grants in September 2014, and “We hit the ground running,” says Doug. Within a month of getting the contract, Doug and program manager Sarah Hollingsworth were seeing clients. Later, when one of the other agencies decided they could not provide the services after all, the county offered their contract to JFCS. This past July they brought on behavioral health social worker Missy Frye half time to help deal with the caseload.

“We get good results,” explains Sarah.

All three agree that being in the client’s home is an innovation that works.

“It’s one thing to talk about their issues, to problem-solve when they come to you,” says Sarah. “But with PEARLS, we are in their space. It allows me as a provider to see the barriers that keep them from social engagement and activities they enjoy.” Sarah believes it “diffuses the power differential. I am a guest in your home. I can pet your cat, see pictures of your family. I feel like it creates a richer relationship (when) I share in your world and see things through your eyes. This is a huge benefit of PEARLS.” Missy agrees. “There is a lot you can learn that is unspoken.”

But does it work? For many people, the answer is “Absolutely.”

Because the program is evidence based, there are data to support that answer. PEARLS uses the PHQ-9 Depression Scale – “nine questions that mirror the clinical definition of depression, so people have an easy way to report their feelings, every meeting, from screening to graduation,” Sarah explains. “It’s easy to administer, but over time it gives us an in-depth look at each individual’s symptoms.”

“It is part of empowering the client,” Doug adds. “They are involved in their own success, and this gives them data to support it.”

Missy says it is effective. “Look, I say ‘this is how you scored the first time. You’ve done all this work and look where you are now.’ Yesterday I did it with somebody, and she was glowing.”

The JFCS counselors leave each client with a list of resources tailored to their wants and needs, whether they relate to transportation, health care, food security or any of a number of challenges. For some people, this and the strategies they learn with PEARLS are enough. For others, PEARLS opens their eyes to the potential improvements that could come from counseling, 42 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Polina Munblit with RSM resident Sonia Liberman after lunch in RSM’s May Café. and they continue to get help, either through JFCS or another resource.

What’s next for PEARLS at JFCS? Reaching out to more people, according to Doug.

“A lot of it is word of mouth – family members and neighbors tell each other about us,” says Doug.

“To share with professionals, we do presentations to hospitals and social workers, attend seminars, sit on panels. We network.” To do more, he says, “We need more funding, so we are always looking for grants.

We want to connect with more communities.”

He says some communities are sort of “siloed,” and it is hard to get a foot in the door.

They now have that foot firmly in the door at Cedar Sinai Park. Missy Fry had joined RSM half time as their on-site social worker in July 2016 as part of the growing coordination of JFCS and CSP services. This July the PEARLS team at JFCS hired her for the other half of her time, and PEARLS came to the Rose Schnitzer Manor.

Polina says having Missy on board is of huge value to the residents, families and staff at RSM. When Polina meets with a new RSM resident who is struggling, she can say, “We can help you. We have a social worker on staff.” Some residents see Missy for traditional counseling, but now Missy can see some residents as participants in PEARLS. Polina believes people are grateful for the help. “I think it makes people feel better when they can go to a ‘professional.’ It says to the resident, ‘These people really care about me.’ ” Often someone will ask Polina, “How long will it take for my parents to get adjusted?” Everyone is different, Polina will answer.

“I’ve had adult children say, once their parents have finally adjusted, ‘I wish they had started to enjoy their life here sooner.’ ” Now it sometimes doesn’t take as long.

“I can use my common sense,” Polina explains. “But the PEARLS program has helped make the transition faster and smoother for new residents so they can thrive sooner.”

Missy, for her part, loves her work.

“It’s such an honor to get to be with people during sensitive times, to be with them through this,” she says. “We don’t always have all the answers, but we can help them feel supported and know they are not alone.”

Liz Rabiner Lippoff is a marketing consultant, freelance writer and community volunteer. LizInk.biz

ACTIVELY SENIOR

Preventing trips, slips and falls

A

ccording to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries for older Americans.

Falls threaten seniors’ safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs. Older adults who fear falling sometimes limit their activities and social engagements. That limited social engagement could then lead to depression, isolation and further physical decline.

The good news is you can take steps to help prevent falls.

HEALTH

It is best to get a hearing and vision screening annually. Problems with vision can result in not being able to avoid an object, especially in dim light. Some hearing issues may be related to the part of the ear that also affects balance.

Some medications can make you feel lightheaded or dizzy, so take the time to get up slowly from a bed or chair if you experience this.

Bone strength is another item to discuss with your doctor. Discuss whether a vitamin D or calcium supplement is needed. Weak bones can equate to fractures and breaks during falls. Your doctor also can run tests to determine bone density and bone health.

It’s also important to remain hydrated, even when the weather is colder. Make sure you drink enough water to avoid feeling weak or dizzy.

HOME SAFETY

Go through each room and remove or repair items that could potentially cause a fall, such as throw rugs, loose carpeting, raised

thresholds, or uneven tile or hardwood. Keeps electrical cords and clutter out of walkways and hallways.

Wear properly fitting, sturdy shoes with nonskid soles instead of floppy slippers or stocking feet. Sensible shoes may also help to reduce joint pain.

Keep the house well lit, especially at the top and bottom of staircases.

Install nightlights that go on automatically in hallways and bathrooms, or leave an overhead light on at night.

Make sure that any stairs in the home have a sturdy handrail. Grab handles can also be installed in the bathroom for safety. Make sure you have nonskid mats in the tub or shower area. Always take care when entering or exiting the tub or shower.

For those that live alone, consider investing in an alert device that will notify first responders for emergency assistance if you fall. It’s also a good idea to keep a cordless phone or cell phone close by.

EXERCISE

Almost any activity that keeps you on your feet and moving, like walking, can help maintain proper balance. But staying steady as one ages becomes a challenge because of age-related muscle loss. Muscles hold the joints and bones in place, so losing muscle mass equates to a decrease in stability.

Simple things such as standing on one leg while doing the dishes, walking heel-to-toe, getting out of a chair without using your hands or doing squats can all be beneficial. Working on strengthening the core and lower-body muscles can improve stability. Tai Chi and yoga classes along with working out with weights can all help you build muscle and improve balance.

EXPERIENCE

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Ultimately, it’s your experience that matters.

To be sure, we’re proud of our 29 years of experience in senior living. But, to us, what really matters is your experience at our communities. We invite you to experience NorthWest Place for yourself at a complimentary lunch and tour. Please call now to schedule.

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503-292-2995

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2420 NW Marshall Street • Portland, OR SRGseniorliving.com • 503.388.5417 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 43

ACTIVELY SENIOR

Wondering Jews explore Portland

T

Shalom’s Stampfer Chapel. Recent speakers include acclaimed hose 55 and older are welcome to become Wondering author Ruth Tenzer Feldman and documentary filmmaker Jews with the program created by Neveh Shalom Enie Vaisburd. In October Rabbi Joshua Stampfer spoke congregants Estelle Wexler, z”l, and Julian Kaufman about Israel’s historic 70th in 2015. Wondering Jews anniversary. On Nov. 14 at presents an active calendar of 2 pm, Ellen Klem, director speakers, meet-ups and outings of consumer outreach and geared toward those lucky education for the Office of enough to be of retirement age Oregon’s Attorney General, and their friends. will share information about During the spring and how seniors can protect summer months, the group themselves against fraud and explores Portland; in the fall scams. and winter months, it hosts For more information, engaging speakers. While contact Neveh Shalom the group is housed at Neveh Membership and Engagement Shalom, it is open to all Director Daniela Meltzer at members of the community.

503-293-7313 or Guest speakers generally A visit to the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center programs@nevehshalom.org. appear the second Tuesday of for Holocaust Education in September. the month at 2 pm in Neveh

NewAdventure

Life’s Adventures Continue…

Embrace an active lifestyle. Begin new friendships. Start new adventures. Discover socials, theatre, music, and outings.

A new beginning. A new lifestyle. A beautiful community.

503-297-5500 ❉ CourtyardVillage.com 4875 SW 78th Avenue in Portland (next to Fred Meyers Raleigh Hills)

Active Independent Retirement Living 44 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

ACTIVELY SENIOR

Senior Resources ELDER CARE

ADULT DAY SERVICES AT CEDAR SINAI PARK 6125 SW Boundary St. Portland, OR 503-535-4403 nancy.heckler@cedarsinaipark.org cedarsinaipark.org Adult Day Services offers family caregivers convenient, flexible respite along with the comfort of knowing their loved one will be spending the day in a stimulating, nurturing and fun environment. Group activities are adjusted to the needs, abilities and interests of participants. Lunch and two snacks daily are included.

ALL IN ONE MOBILITY, INC. 12833 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97230 503-255-5005 sales@allinonemobility.com allinonemobility.com We sell, install and service stair lifts, walk-in tubs, barrier free showers, wheelchair lifts, track lifts, elevators and more. Visit our showroom near the airport to see and try stair lifts, mobility scooters, lift chairs, walkers, baths, showers, wheelchairs, elevators and other mobility products. We are open 8 am-5 pm, Monday-Friday.

HEARING HEALTH 4921 SW 76th Ave. Portland, OR 97225 503-292-2995 info@yourhearinghealth.com yourhearinghealth.com Portland’s #1 rated provider of top quality Hearing Aids. Accurate and comprehensive hearing evaluations, no- and low-cost hearing aid repairs, prescriptive fitting utilizing state of the art REAL Ear Measurement, reprogramming, hearing protection. For 17 years, thousands of people have relied on us to keep them active, healthy and connected.

SINAI IN-HOME CARE 7412 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale #106 Portland, OR 503-542-0088 info@SinaiCare.org SinaiCare.org Sinai In-Home Care is a nonprofit, licensed Comprehensive In-Home Care Agency serving seniors and people with disabilities in Portland and surrounding areas. Supporting individuals and their families, our experienced care team of nurses and caregivers provide reliable care coordination, personalized plans, assistance with daily activities, hands-on care and medication administration.

SENIOR LIVING

CEDAR SINAI PARK 6125 SW Boundary St. Portland, OR 503-535-4300 info@cedarsinaipark.org cedarsinaipark.org Cedar Sinai Park and its many service affiliates is a nonprofit organization that provides residential and community-based care to seniors and adults

with special needs. Our broad-based continuum of care can be tailored to individuals’ needs in a manner based on Jewish values of secure, supportive, loving and stimulating environments.

COURTYARD VILLAGE AT RALEIGH HILLS 4875 SW 78th Ave. Portland, OR 503-297-5500 joaniec@courtyardvillage.com courtyardvillage.com Courtyard Village at Raleigh Hills provides high quality and affordable housing for active, independent adults 62 years of age or older. We are independently owned and locally operated. It’s the privacy and freedom of home combined with services of friendly, helpful and caring staff.

HAROLD SCHNITZER CENTER FOR LIVING 6125 SW Boundary St. Portland, OR 503-535-4300 cedarsinaipark.org The Harold Schnitzer Center for Living, Oregon’s first Green House homes, offers long-term intermediate nursing care in a setting that isn’t “home like” – it is home. Spacious, stunning private rooms and private bathrooms surround a welcoming hearth and family-style gourmet kitchen. Daily life is driven by the individuals who call it home.

NORTHWEST PLACE 2420 NW Marshall St. Portland, OR 503-388-4208 Northwest_Place_Marketing@SRG-LLC.com SRGseniorliving.com At NorthWest Place, an Independent Living retirement community located in Portland, residents enjoy a vibrant retirement lifestyle with a full calendar of social, cultural and educational opportunities. One and two-bedroom residences with services and amenities such as an onsite restaurant, a rooftop garden, an art room and a fitness center.

ROBISON HEALTH & REHABILITATION CENTER 6125 SW Boundary St. Portland, OR 503-535-4300 info@cedarsinaipark.org cedarsinaipark.org RJHC is a post-acute care center providing state-of-the-art rehabilitation services. The highest quality skilled care for those recovering from surgery, strokes, accidents or other major health traumas helps get you back home.

Services include on-site physical rehabilitation and occupational and speech therapies. Private rooms, private bathrooms, around the clock in-room dining.

ROSE SCHNITZER MANOR 6140 SW Boundary St. Portland, OR 503-535-4000 RoseSchnitzerManor.org Rose Schnitzer Manor Assisted Living offers a comfortable, elegant and caring community dedicated to providing the highest quality care while supporting a vital lifestyle. Residents enjoy gourmet meals in an array of fine dining settings, daily fitness classes, frequent outings, plus on-campus activities to stimulate mind, body and soul.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 45

You Did It!

Cedar Sinai Park is humbled by the profound generosity of our community, which together raised over $20 million for our Capital Campaign. Thanks to you, The Harold Schnitzer Center for Living and the New Robison Jewish Health Center will care for our elders and help fulfill the commandment to Honor thy Mother and Father, for this generation and many to come.

$5 MILLION OR MORE

The Shleifer Family

Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Family Fund of OJCF and Jordan Schnitzer

$100,000-$249,999

$50,000-$99,999

Molly Bodner Fund of OJCF Friends of Robison Milt Carl*, Stan & Pam Rotenberg, Mike & Albert and Rosalie Gilbert Family Fund of OJCF $1 MILLION-$4,999,999 Barbara Enkelis Rosalie Goodman Nathan Cogan Family Fund of OJCF Dr. Tom & Alix Goodman Irwin & Renée Holzman The Collins Foundation Paul Labby & Lore Labby Ralph & Sandi Miller The Danish Family Endowment Fund of OJCF Irving Levin & Stephanie Fowler The Ron B. Tonkin Family The Lewis Family - Carol Lewis, Kathleen Morris & Evelyn Galen Family Fund of OJCF $500,000-$999,999 Lewis, Larry Lewis & Scott Lewis & William Galen Bud & Robin Marcus The Harold & Lorraine W. Kropitzer* Revocable Reneé Bloch* Bequest Living Trust Sally Mink* & Debbie Mink Doug & Lila Goodman Fund of OJCF David J. Lipman* Oregon Community Foundation Greg Goodman Charitable Fund of OJCF Barry & Susan Menashe Family Fund of OJCF Henry & Nancy Oseran Family Fund of OJCF Solomon & Rosalyn Menashe Family Fund of OJCF Mark & Christi Goodman Pacific Continental Bank Ruben J. & Elizabeth Menashe Family Fund Ann & Robert Sacks Family Fund of OJCF Metro Metals Northwest, Inc. – Victor Winkler of OJCF Robert & Wendy Steinberg & Steve Zusman Ruth Menashe Larry Veltman Family Fund of OJCF Stern Family Fund of OJCF and Eve Stern Newmark Family Fund of OJCF Sharon Weil, Marlene & Lou Weil-Perez, Family Fund of OJCF Gayle Schnitzer Romain Fund of OJCF, Dana, Bill, Alicia & Bryan Hunt Robert and Rita Philip Family Fund of The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation David P. Weiner & Bonnie H. Weiner OJCF, Dina Schnitzer Fund of OJCF, and James & Susan Winkler Eldon & Carolyn Wexler Tom & Mardi Spitzer Jay & Diane Zidell Charitable Foundation Rosemarie Rosenfeld $25,000-$49,999 Mildred & Morris Schnitzer* Charitable Fund $250,000-$499,999 of the OCF Manny and Karen Berman T. Robert & Mitzi* Tobias Marilyn Easly Lawrence Black Family Robert & Marla Weiner Michael & Chris Feves The Blank Family Meyer Memorial Trust Henry & Gerel Blauer Family Fund of OJCF Leonard and Lois Schnitzer Family Fund of OJCF

46 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Stanley & Judith Blauer Family Fund of OJCF Herb Black George and Harriet Bodner Fund of OJCF Doug & Amy Blauer Howard & Linda Davis Jeff & Felicia Blauer George and Harriet Bodner Fund of OJCF Borkan Family Fund of OJCF Stan & Bev Eastern, Gradow Family Fund of Frieda G. Cohen OJCF, Howard & Leslie Taub and Susan Eastern Jim & Ilene Davidson The Flowerree Foundation Gary & Sandra Etlinger Fund of the OCF Dr. Florence Wolfson Glick* Sherry & Paul Fishman Gersham & Pauline Goldstein Skip & Karen Freedman Fred & Sara-Linn Harwin David Fuks & DeAnn Sullivan Stan & Shirley Hodes Linda & Tom* Georges III Eugene Janssen & Marta Furman Glasgow/Cogan Family Fund of OCF Garry & Judith Kahn William J. Glasgow Kantor Family Fund of OJCF Margaret Gotesman, Barry & Virginia Irving & Rhoda Leopold Russell, Betsy Russell, Louis & Sandra Russell Lewin Family Fund of OJCF Holman’s Funeral Service Richard & Judith Matza Arnold & Ruth Hopfer* Mr. & Mrs. Albert A. Menashe Jody Klevit Victor & Toinette Menashe Tony & Priscilla Kostiner Conrad & Abby Myers Janine Kurnoff & Lee Lazarus Marvin* & Leah Nepom Lang/Svendgard Family Fund of OJCF Avrel Nudelman Howard & Wendy Liebreich Family Fund of OJCF Raymond & Dorothy Packouz Harold & Jackie Lesch Harold & Jane Pollin Gerald & Evelyn Leshgold Jeff & Francine* Reingold Merritt Linn* & Susan Korey James Rosenbaum & Sandra Lewis David & Liz Lippoff Alan & Eve Rosenfeld Family Fund of OJCF David & Alycia Lokting Dr. David Seres & Kesiah Scully Stan & Joyce Loeb M.H. & Bernice Rosencrantz Memorial Fund Richard & Harriet Maizels of OJCF Malka Family Fund of OJCF Marjorie P. Spector*, Lee & Leslie Spector, Jim & Lora Meyer Mitch & Sharon Mulenof, Marshal Spector & Shari Levinson Susan Mosler Edward & Jill Neuwelt Lance & Mary Steinberg Jon & Naomi Newman Gary & Carolyn Weinstein Charlene Zidell and Daughters Family Fund of OJCF Michael & Gloria Olds, Joshua & Melanie Olds, Benjamin Olds & Nadine Gartner Min Zidell Paul & Sandra Zimmerman Regina Philan* Trust Robin Pope $10,000 - $24,999 Jacob & Betty Reiss Philip & Dorothy Reiter Philanthropic Fund of OJCF Richard & Dianne Arensberg Mark Rosenbaum John & Carol Arnsberg Rosenberg/Lippmann Family Fund of OJCF Wilma-Jane Mayer Balick & Sandra Kailes Biller Sally Rosenfeld and Andrew Frank Fund of OJCF Leonard & Betsy Bergstein Stan & Madelle Rosenfeld Family Foundation

Warren Rosenfeld & Sheryl Langerman Rose Rotenberg* Family Trust – Kyle Rotenberg, Keri Nicolaisen & Kathy Sheinin Betsy Russell Jerry & Bunny Sadis The Marjorie and Jack Saltzman Family Fund of OJCF Elaine J. Savinar Sam* & Beulah Schauffer Jack & Barbara Schwartz Ralph Shaw Shlachter Family Fund of OJCF Sandra Simon & Amy Page Les & Martha Soltesz Ida Toff/Celia and Joseph Tushin Fund of OJCF Rena Tonkin & Cheryl Tonkin Norman & Suzan Wapnick David & Joan Weil Michael Weiner & Kathy Davis-Weiner Bruce Weinstein Bruce & Susan Winthrop Vicki (Israel) Zidell

With special thanks to Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnitzer for their philanthropic leadership.

We are grateful for the many generous donors who made gifts at every level. Space limitations prevent us from recognizing gifts below $10,000 in print.

The donors above, and many others, have helped manifest our community’s vision for a new way to age.

We are grateful.

The above listing reflects donations to our Capital Campaign in the amount of $10,000 and greater. Every effort has been made to ensure that this list is accurate and complete. We apologize if your name has been omitted or improperly recorded.

If so, please contact CSP at 971.717.7152 so we can correct our records.

Life. Continues. Here.™ *of blessed memory

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 47

CORNER

48 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

NEW ENGLAND THANKSGIVING TREAT Story and photo by Lisa Glickman

Nothing compares to fall in New England. While we lived there, we were able to experience the explosive fall colors that painted the landscape from Massachusetts to Maine.

In New England, they take Thanksgiving pretty seriously.

After all, it is where it all began. The holiday feast dates back to November 1621, when the newly arrived Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians gathered at Plymouth for an autumn harvest celebration, an event regarded as America's “first Thanksgiving.”

During the fall, farm stands are bursting with bright orange pumpkins, tart cranberries, stalks of dried corn and colorful gourds. And, of course, apples! One of my favorite fall memories during our time in New England was visiting one of the many orchards near Boston to pick apples. We would board a clickity-clackity little train that meandered through the orchard and hop off to pick the ripe apples from the heavily laden trees.

The air was filled with the smell of apples being pressed into cider along with the intoxicating aroma of apple cider doughnuts, a New England specialty. We brought bags of crisp apples home to make our own pies, pastries, crisps and tart applesauce.

I sure miss those family visits to the orchard long ago, but I can bring back the memory with this delicious New England Thanksgiving treat.

APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS These sugared doughnuts are craggy and crunchy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside. Apple butter (not sauce!) is key to their texture and flavor; look for it alongside jams and jellies in the supermarket, or at farmers’ markets, or make your own. I like the recipe from Bon Appétit (bonappetit.com/recipe/apple-butter) (Makes 18) 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks 3 cups apple cider ½ cup apple butter ½ cup buttermilk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 3½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature ¼ cup (packed) light brown sugar 1¼ cups granulated sugar, divided 2 large eggs Vegetable oil (for frying; about 4 cups) Bring cinnamon sticks and apple cider to a boil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until liquid is thick, syrupy and reduced to about ⅓ cup, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Scrape into a medium bowl and whisk in apple butter, buttermilk and vanilla until incorporated; set aside.

Whisk baking powder, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, 3½ cups flour and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients alternating with cider mixture in two additions, starting with dry ingredients and ending with cider mixture (dough will be very soft and sticky).

Scrape dough onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet thoroughly dusted with flour (about ⅓ cup). Dust hands and top of dough with more flour, then gently pat dough to ¾" thick. Dust with more flour and tightly cover with plastic wrap; chill dough at least 3 hours.

Whisk remaining 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl.

Working on baking sheet, use a doughnut cutter or punch out as many rounds as you can with a 3¼" cutter, then use a 1¼" cutter to punch out center of each round. Gather doughnut scraps, reserving holes, and gently re-roll without overworking dough; repeat until all dough has been used (you should have 18 doughnuts).

Set a wire rack inside a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet. Fit a large pot with a deep-fry thermometer and pour in oil to a depth of 3". Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in batches, fry doughnuts until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared rack and let cool slightly. Fry doughnut holes until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared rack and let cool slightly. Toss warm doughnuts and doughnut holes in cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Do Ahead: Dough can be made one day ahead; cover and chill. Doughnuts are best when they are fresh.

Lisa Glickman is a private chef and teacher who lives in Portland. She has made TV appearances on COTV in Central Oregon and appeared on the Cooking Channel’s “The Perfect Three.” She can be reached at lisa@lisaglickman.com.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 49

NWNosh

You won't miss meat at Aviv

Hummus

By Kerry Politzer

When the popular Gonzo Falafel and Hummus food cart closed, customers missed its shawarma fries. Israeli-born chef Tal Caspi used to operate Gonzo outside of a brewery, but as so often happens in the food-cart world, he was forced to move. After a brief and unsuccessful relocation, Tal decided to focus his energy on new projects: a packaged hummus company, a vegan ice cream shop, a catering outfit and Aviv, his outstanding brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Aviv differs from Gonzo in several respects.

Not only does the restaurant offer a more extensive menu and a fine-dining atmosphere, it also features an entirely plant-based menu.

The shawarma fries now include soy curls instead of grilled chicken. When asked about his restaurant’s vegan focus, Tal explains, “Aviv evolved the same way I evolved. I became vegan, so Aviv became vegan. I had a bit of a spiritual moment and realized I couldn’t eat animals anymore. With Aviv, what’s really fun is that we’re able to bring a lot of people to the table who are not vegan. My favorite review we get, from people who do eat meat all the time, is how much they enjoy the restaurant and the experience, and how they don’t miss that component.”

At Aviv, customers can enjoy shakshuka made with tofu instead of eggs, charred eggplant with lentils, rice and fried onions; seven varieties of hummus; grilled vegetables; falafel; and salads, among other dishes. Of particular note is the freshly baked bread. “We have a fantastic baker, Kristin Stanch; she worked for Thomas Keller,” says Tal. “She makes the challah on the brunch (menu and) the pita. I asked her to make me something similar to a 50 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Shawarma fries with soy curls

Harrisa

Charred Eggplant

Beet Salad baguette, because shakshuka is usually served with a baguette.”

Kristin is deeply involved in Tal’s plan to open a dairy-free ice cream shop in spring 2018. “She makes our ice cream, which I’m trying to push more,” he says. “She was working on ice cream cones and came up with a recipe made with aquafaba. It’s really fantastic. We have four to six rotating flavors.”

Kristin also created what is perhaps the tastiest vegan dessert in Portland: a rosewater panna cotta made with coconut and

rice milk. Tal remarks, “I asked her to make malabi, and she came up with that recipe.

We’ve also had an ice cream with the same flavor.”

Along with operating Aviv, launching his packaged hummus line at New Seasons and developing his ice cream concept, Tal is also busy with Aviv Catering.

“There was one Jewish caterer in town. We do bar mitzvahs, weddings, corporate events and office parties. We’re parve. We’ve not kosher but there’s no meat, no dairy.” Aviv Catering was chosen to cater a recent benefit at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.

Other future plans of Tal’s include relaunching Gonzo as a fast-casual, fast-food version of Aviv. For now, diners can enjoy his delicious Israeli cuisine both at Aviv and at home, where they can order through the Caviar delivery service.

Aviv: 1125 SE Division St. avivpdx.com

503-206-6280 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 51

ISRAEL

From left, Lianne McFadden (California), her mother Shirona Lurie (Portland), and her sister, Leora Kaufman (Israel) at a wine tasting at the Gush Etzion Winery.

THE POLAND-ISRAEL JOURNEY: From History to Rebirth

By Sura Rubenstein

It was a journey through time, through tears and toward hope. A trip that took two dozen women through a millennium of Jewish life in Poland to a rebirth of Jewish life in Israel.

“This was the journey of a lifetime,” says Eve Levy, who organized the trip with the Portland Kollel. “It was so much more than we had originally envisioned.”

The trip itself was a whirlwind: eight days, four in Israel and four in Poland, covering 550 miles in a circle from Warsaw to Lublin to Krakow and Auschwitz and back to Warsaw. In Israel, the focus was on Jerusalem, with one daylong outing to Gush Etzion, just south of Jerusalem.

In Poland, along with centuries-old synagogues and graceful buildings, the group visited one of the largest Jewish cemeteries 52 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

in Eastern Europe, the Majdanek and Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps, and other sites of Jewish suffering during the Shoah.

The diverse group included five mother/daughter pairs – including Levy and her mother, Harriette Fleising, of Toronto, for whom the journey had special meaning.

Though many of the group had grandparents or parents who came from Poland, all four of Eve’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Eve visited Poland when she was 19 with a small group but had resisted returning since.

So why now? Eve, who is director of women’s programming for the Portland Kollel, says participants in her ongoing “mothers’ trips” to Israel – conducted in collaboration with the Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project – had been asking for more in-depth opportunities. And the Kollel, looking for innovative

programs and new opportunities for education, responded by launching the Poland-Israel Journey.

“We decided it would be meaningful to create a tour that followed the transition the Jewish nation has gone through for the past generations,” says Rabbi Tzvi Fischer, dean

of the Portland Kollel. “And we also wanted to broaden the group of participants – opening the opportunity to more people.”

The first trip was an unqualified success, Rabbi Fischer says – in terms of participants’ responses, interest in those who followed the journey through blog posts (portlandkollel. org/blog), and inquiries from individuals and other communities about going on an upcoming tour in May 2018 (see box).

“This was the next step, the next level of information and experiences for us,” says Jennifer Ginther-Reboja, who shared the journey with her mother, Judy Ginther, of California.

“Not just for myself and my mother, but for my three daughters, as well. It instilled more of a sense of ownership and empowerment and passion about Judaism – something that’s important for me to share with my family.”

For Judy, this was both a first trip to Israel and an exploration of her Jewish roots. “I didn’t have any opportunity for religious studies as a child, and it wasn’t something I pursued as an adult,” she explains.

“Everyone was very welcoming and supportive, and it was so nice to see the bond between the other mothers and daughters. I would absolutely encourage people to make this trip.”

Stacy Cullen, who like Jennifer and others is a veteran of JWRP trips to Israel, says she felt a stronger connection with her Judaism as

ABOVE: The group walks to Majdanek, the first of the camps they visited in Poland.

Photo by Melissa Dodson LEFT: Sarah Rosenberg Brown, at the grave of a Mohel, or ritual circumciser, in the Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery in Warsaw — one of Europe’s, and the world’s, largest Jewish cemeteries, with some 250,000 marked graves. Photo by Naomi Kaufman Price OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 53

Women on the Poland-Israel journey gather before welcoming Shabbat at the Kotel in Jerusalem.

a result of the journey. “I felt the history – and the footprints – of the people before me.”

Sandy Kennedy Nemer was inspired to develop lesson plans on the Holocaust for her fourth- and fifth-grade students.

“This was a life-changing trip,” she says. “I am a different wife, a different mother, a different teacher, a different woman – and I look forward to sharing this experience with our community.”

Sandy, Allison Sherman and others say some of the most poignant moments came in the gas chambers of both Majdanek and Auschwitz.

“In the gas chambers in Auschwitz, our (Poland) guide asked us to stop and think about how holy that place was,” Sandy says. “To take a deep breath, to close our eyes and to say the Shema.”

“It’s important that people have that tangible experience,”

Poland-Israel Journey ‘18

May 7-14, 2018 For Women* 4 days in Poland, 4 days in Israel Cost: $2,500 per person, plus airfare * For Oregon residents, the Kollel is offering a special 54 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

says Jennifer. “By physically being there, it touches your soul in a way you don’t get from a book or from a movie. It just grabbed my heart.”

“We all knew we were going to find something special on this journey,” adds Sarah Rosenberg Brown. “It was a profound and meaningful trip.”

Adriana Zaidenvoren Leibovich, who also went on the March of the Living before the Kollel trip, says the Kollel’s Poland-Israel Journey was a spiritual experience. “It made me connect with myself,” she says.

Adds Eve: “There is a power of knowing who you are and where you come from. It gives you so much more clarity about how to live your life.”

Sura Rubenstein, a Portland writer, was a participant in the 2017 Poland-Israel Journey.

subsidized rate of $1,800 per person, plus airfare More information: 503-245-5420 info@portlandkollel.org | polandisraeljourney.com * The Kollel is exploring options for a tour for both men and women – but for 2018, it will remain a women-only tour.

Rediscovering Thanksgiving’s harvest roots in Israel

By Teddy Weinberger

Many Americans have lost touch with the origins of Thanksgiving. When you ask someone to explain the reason for the holiday, they often link the holiday to American ideals like democracy, pluralism and freedom of religion. Since most Americans live their lives far removed from agriculture, few remember that Thanksgiving grew out of the same impetus that people worldwide for millennia have felt in the fall: a feeling of thanks at the conclusion of the harvest season.

Though we do not celebrate Thanksgiving in Israel, our move here reconnected us with the bounty of the land for which the pilgrims were thankful.

In immigrating to Israel, my wife and I did not realize that we would be bringing our family closer to nature. After all, we were not moving to a kibbutz or a similar type of agricultural community – we moved to what is essentially a suburb of Jerusalem. And yet the following trees are in my backyard: lemon, apple, pear, grapefruit, olive, shesek (loquat) and kumquat. For those so inclined, and my sons Ezra and Elie are so inclined, fall brings opportunities to participate in the harvest of many different kinds of fruit. This year, in the span of a few weeks, Ezra took part in the harvesting of three of the seven biblical "species."

The Bible speaks of the following as being special products of Israel: "a land of wheat and barley, of (grape) vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and (date) honey" (Deut.

8.8). The Hebrew language lovingly marks the specialness of these fruits by assigning unique verbs for their harvest. Whereas in English, you go out to "pick" figs, olives and dates, in Hebrew you do aryah, maysik and gedid, respectively.

In late August, Ezra and I drove to a park just 20 minutes

from our home and "aryah'ed" about 10 kilos (22 pounds) of figs (which I cooked up into some excellent jelly). In mid-October, Ezra went with a friend to the same park and to a nearby neighborhood in Jerusalem and "maysik'ed" several hundred pounds of olives (which he took to a small commercial olive press and turned into 50 liters of olive oil), and in late October, Ezra worked "gedid'ing" for a week and a half on a date farm in a small Jewish settlement near the Dead Sea. I volunteered and joined Ezra for several days of gedid. In return, date farmers Meirav and Doron gave me two jars of date honey (known as silan), several bottles of date beer, one kilo of Grade B dates (which I turned into excellent date cake) and four kilos of premium Medjool dates (which are in great demand in Europe; sometimes when a date fell to the ground we would jokingly say, with good reason, "pick up that Euro").

Though Ezra grumbled a bit at the low hourly rate (which was minimum wage, a bit under $7 per hour), I loved the experience. You and your fellow workers stand on a special gedid machine that lifts you up to the dates, you shake each cluster of dates and they drop into the surrounding netting, then you release the opening of the netting, shake the dates into a pail and pour them into crates. Cumulatively, it's hard work, but it's also pretty peaceful 10 feet above the ground among the dates.

And if you get hungry, you just pop a gorgeous Medjool into your mouth.

I'll be thinking about this year's aryah, maysik and gedid on Thursday, Nov. 23; this won't be hard because I will still be enjoying the fruits of these harvests. It might not be Thanksgiving here, but I will be feeling thankful for the bounty of this land.

The fact that I and my family in a small way are able to be part of the harvest makes me even more thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 55

K I D S

and teens too!

PJA Learning Commons supports student-centered education

By Deborah Moon

The open vista that greets students and visitors entering Portland Jewish Academy is now the physical manifestation of the open, collaborative learning environment that has long been a hallmark of the Jewish day school.

PJA has renovated the lobby, removed walls between hallways and the library, and reorganized the open space and adjacent rooms to create a Learning Commons, which integrates traditional library and technology resources.

“The concept started in colleges,” says PJA Executive Director Steve Albert. “The traditional library has evolved into a learning commons that supports technology, collaboration and project-based learning in flexible space.”

When the Min Zidell Education Wing was added to the Mittleman Jewish Community Center in 1987, it featured traditional classrooms and hallways.

“Now they have the creative space to support the learning that was already happening.” says Steve, adding that the Learning Commons provides the space for students to gather and collaborate more efficiently.

Although the school adopted the concept to give students the space and resources to pursue

56 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

the project-based learning the school has long used, it has become so much more.

“It builds community,” says Principal Merrill Hendin.

At any given time, the Learning Commons may be populated with middle schoolers collaborating on a project, preschoolers listening to a story, teachers planning projects and parents consulting the librarian about good books for their children. Acoustic panels on walls and below the ceiling confine the noise from the diverse activities, enabling comfortable multiuse.

“It will promote independence and reinforce our student-centered philosophy,” says Merrill.

“We’ve seen students who learn in different ways access different kinds of spaces in which to do their learning. The old traditional system is not compatible to everybody. We need to give kids different ways of being together. And we’ve seen it happening.”

Steve says they also plan to leverage the space to expand community building beyond the school. He’s already talked to groups such as BBYO and the Institute for Judaic Studies about ways they might use the space. Additionally, PJA will showcase the space at the annual auction in December. While the dinner and live auction will still be in the MJCC Auditori-

Carlton Hart Architecture

um, the social hour and silent auction will be in the Learning Commons.

“I think it has a lot of potential for communal use,” says Merrill, noting it is ideal for various programs, teaching and social gatherings.

As part of the renovation, many bookshelves were relocated from the center of the library space to along the walls, with the Judaic collection moved into the Beit Midrash (“house of learning”). The former Beit Knesset (“house of assembly”) still contains the ark and Torah scrolls. The renovation also added a full kitchen in the existing Project Room, repurposed the Collab Lab as a dedicated Music Room, constructed a new library workroom and two new student conference rooms, and built a private student lavatory.

While many members of the community contributed funds for the renovation, three donations are recognized with plaques in the new space. Lee and Becky Holzman made a donation in honor of long-time PJA teacher Dina Feuer, now retired. Jason Zidell and Family dedicated the Story Corner in honor of Jay Zidell. In recognition of the importance Hilde Jacob, z”l, placed on education, the estate of Hilde and Heinz Jacob contributed funds to the project. Their grandson, Mark Eiseman, attended PJA through elementary and middle school.

“Education was very important to her,” says Hilde’s daughter Becky. “She left Germany during the war, where education was taken away from her.”

After Jewish students were pushed out of regular school, Hilde attended a Jewish day school and felt truly at home, says Becky. When she came to the states, she was put into a girls’ school where she was not able to take science. Despite her limited English, she demanded to go to a school where she could study science. She attended Portland’s Washington High School, graduating with honor, before enrolling in Reed College. When she ran out of money for tuition at the private college, she hitchhiked to Eugene, where she graduated from

the University of Oregon. She taught preschool at Congregation Neveh Shalom’s Foundation School and then spent three decades as the congregation’s librarian.

SEE THE LEARNING COMMONS PJA Open House

10 am, Wednesday, Nov. 8 Come see the new Learning Commons and all PJA programs – Infant/Toddler, Childcare, Preschool, Lower and Middle School – in action.

56th Annual PJA Auction Sunday, Dec. 10 4:30 – Socializing and silent auction 6:30 pm – Dinner and live auction Pjaproud.org | 503-244-0126

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 57

Teen wins Maccabiah gold, joins Timbers Academy

By Deborah Moon

At 16, Jack Green is not just chasing his dreams, he’s living them.

“School, soccer and Judaism – being part of all three is important to me,” says Jack. This year all three areas of his life have gotten a big boost.

The Alaskan teen moved to Portland in August after earning a slot in the U17 program of the Timbers Academy, the Portland soccer team’s development program to produce future professional players. In Portland, he also has become part of a much larger Jewish community than that in his hometown of Anchorage. Wilson High School’s AP (advanced placement) program is providing the challenge he wants academically.

“Last year I got frustrated with the level of play,” says Jack, who has been a top player since the age of 4; his dad, David Green, started teaching him to kick a soccer ball almost as soon as he could walk. “I wanted to play at a high level, and then this Timbers guy showed up.”

Ryan Miller, a Timbers Academy head coach, was in Alaska visiting Alaska’s Olympic Development Program when he stopped at Jack’s team practice to visit with a coach. Two weeks later Jack’s team traveled to Phoenix for a tournament, where they played a team coached by Ryan. Ryan invited Jack to come practice with the Timbers Academy team, and in early June Jack arrived for what he thought was a 10-day opportunity to train at a high level.

He soon learned he was trying out for a one-year spot at the academy.

“He knew I would never let him go away for high school,” says Jack’s mom, Shani Green. “Never say never.”

Two things changed her mind.

First she got a call from Portlander Jodi Berris, whom the family had hosted for Shabbat when she visited Alaska four years ago. David and Shani are very active in Alaska’s Jewish community, having persuaded Chabad to come to the state in 1991. Jodi offered to host Jack at least through December if he was invited to the academy.

“I’ve hosted a foreign exchange student, so it was not new,” says Jodi. “I appreciate the fact he is chasing his dreams, and this is a fabulous opportunity.”

58 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Shani Green, Jack Green and Jodi Berris bottom left: Jack Green at Timbers Academy bottom right: Sen Lisa Murkowski congratulates Jack on his Maccabiah gold. Alaska's Sen. Dan Sullivan also personally congratulated Jack.

“I have a special place in my heart and appreciation for observant Jews who are athletes and try to have a balance for both priorities,” says Jodi, who was on the women’s hockey, lacrosse and crew teams at the University of Michigan. “I know the challenges, first hand, and how tough the choices can be.”

The offer to join the academy came just five days before Jack was set to leave for Israel to compete in the 20th Maccabiah Games, the first time he was able to meld his love of Judaism and soccer. Called the Jewish Olympics, the games are held in Israel every four years; this year 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries participated in 43 sports.

“I didn’t have the right mindset to think about moving to Portland while I was playing in an international tournament,” says Jack.

Jack co-captained the U.S. U16 boys soccer team to its first-ever Maccabiah gold medal.

“The win at the Maccabiah was very shul within walking distance of Jodi’s surreal,” says Jack. “The fact we did win house. He’s gone to NCSY Shabbatons was an upset. … Winning gold was and plans to connect with Chabad. pretty historic.”

“Jodi is brilliant,” says Jack. “She unAfter that win, Shani changed her derstands everything I do. She is a very mind about letting Jack join the Timresponsible mentor who has taught me a bers. “In Israel his coach said, ‘Your son lot.” is one in a million. If you don’t let him Jodi has a long history of helping young try, he will always wonder.” adults connect Jewishly. In 2008 she Jack reached the same conclusion. “By opened Portland’s first Moishe House, the end of July, I decided I’d come to Orpart of an international network that helps egon. I was thinking if I didn’t take the young adults create a space to explore Jewoffer, I wouldn’t know what opportunity ish life. Since aging out of Moishe House, I was missing out on.” she has hosted several MoDox Outdoor On the soccer front, the opportunity is Adventure Shabbatons and organized already bearing fruit. “I can see so much U.S. U16 Soccer Co-Captain Jack Green shows off Jewish activities through Portland Jewish the Maccabiah trophy. improvement in my game,” he says. He Events. Hosting Jack is another way of givnow dreams of having access to a Division ing back to a community she loves.

I college given his new soccer resume.

“So many people do such kind things for me, all of the time, “I want to go to a college with lots of Jewish students; a good and have enabled me to have amazing life experiences as well academic school that also has a good soccer program,” he says. as growth in my travels, career, athletics, socially, etc.,” says Jodi.

“If I can finish the year with a good GPA and high SAT and “This is a chance to give that gift back. I get to have my hand in continue to play well, maybe I’ll look at schools on the East creating an opportunity and paving the way for someone else’s Coast.” growth.”

With Jodi as a host mom, he has also had an easy introducJack says ultimately he wants to return to Anchorage and take tion to Portland’s Jewish community. over the family business, David Green and Sons, an outdoor “Portland’s Jewish community is much larger (than Alaska’s),” apparel company founded by his great grandfather, who moved says Jack. “There’s youth groups, the JCC, a kosher restaurant to Alaska in 1922. and multiple Orthodox synagogues.”

But for now he is enjoying his stay in Portland and the opHe’s gone to services at Kesser Israel, a modern Orthodox portunities it opens up for his future.

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 59

KIDS CALENDAR

Nov. 8

Community Shabbat Connect: The Carl Preschool is partnering with PJ Library for this special event focused on Shabbat. 9:30-11 am, at Carl Preschool, Congregation Shaarie Torah, 920 NW 25th, Portland. For preschoolers with a parent, grandparent or other caregiver; siblings welcome.

Start off like a typical Carl Preschool morning with singing and stories with Morah Elizabeth, Dorice Horenstein and Rabbi Joshua Rose. Kids will then get to do some extra special Shabbat-themed crafts followed by a fun activity in the running room. RSVP: 503-226-6131.

Portland Jewish Academy Open House for Preschool-8th grade. 10 amnoon, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland. Come see our school in action!

PJA is an inclusive Jewish community day school that strives to ensure an academically rich environment that honors the whole child. PJA nurtures and inspires Jewish engagement, Kavod/respect, and responsibility for the world in which we live. PJA is project-based, accredited by NWAIS. 503-535-3599

Nov. 28

Volunteer with the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland as part of #DoingTuesday, our opportunity to give back at the Oregon Food Bank at both the Northeast Portland and the Beaverton locations. 6-8:30 pm.

Repack food for local families in need at the Oregon Food Bank. Your help provides a vital resource in alleviating food insecurity. Open to volunteers age 6 years and older. PRE-REGISTRATION required: jewishportland.org/ doingtuesday

Dec. 3

Riverdale High School Info Day. Get acquainted with Riverdale campus life by visiting classrooms; getting to know teachers, students and parents; and learning about specific programs, clubs and sports. 9727 SW Terwilliger Blvd., Portland. RSVP 503-262-4847 | riverdaleschool.com

RECURRING: SUNDAYS

NORTH STORY HOUR WITH PJ LIBRARY: 9:30-10:15 am, Sundays at New Seasons, 3445 N Williams Ave., Portland. Share in a weekly story hour for families with music and PJ Library Books. (No story hour Nov. 26). rachelr@jewishportland.org or 503-892-7415

TUESDAYS

STORY TIME IN ANNE AND GOLDIE’S CHILDREN’S CORNER. 11-11:30 am, Tuesdays, second floor of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, 724 NW Davis St, Portland. Rotating storytellers bring carefully selected books to life, with occasional singing, movement and crafts. Stay to play in the Neighborhood House themed corner, or grab lunch at Lefty’s Cafe. Co-sponsored by PJ Library. Caregivers with children are free. ojmche.org

WEDNESDAYS

CHAI BABY + PJ LIBRARY INDOOR PLAYGROUND: 10 am-noon, every second Wednesday (Sept-June) at the MJCC, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy. For parents and their children up to 5 years old. Playing, running, meeting new and old friends, kosher snacks. Free. 503-244-0111

60 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

THURSDAYS

PJ STORY HOUR YAD B'YAD: 9:30-10:30 am, Thursdays at Rose Schnitzer Manor, 6140 SW Boundary St., Portland. Share in a weekly story hour for young families with music and PJ Library books with the residents of Cedar Sinai Park. rachelr@jewishportland.org or 503-892-7415

FRIDAYS

A LITTLE SHABBAT: 5-6:30 pm every third Friday at Congregation Shaarie Torah, 920 NW 25th Ave., Portland. For families with children in preschool (ages 2+). Short service with singing, greeting, stories followed by kid-friendly dinner. Free. 503-226-6131 FOURTH FRIDAYS WITH RABBI EVE POSEN: 5:15-7 pm, fourth Fridays.

Join Rabbi Eve Posen for this fun Shabbat for young families! Welcome Shabbat with music and stories. Potluck dinner to follow. Co-sponsored

by PJ Library. RSVP for more info and location: 503-246-8831 or eposen@ nevehshalom.org

SATURDAYS

TOT SHABBAT: 9-10:30 am, first Saturdays at Congregation Beth Israel, 1972 NW Flanders, Portland. Join us for our special Saturday service for our littlest congregants and the grown-ups who love them. 503-222-1069 TOT SHABBAT: 10:30 am, first Saturdays, at Congregation Ahavath Achim’s Hillsdale location: 6686 SW Capitol Hwy. Eve Levy will lead tots and their parents in singing, dancing, stories and plenty of time for the children (and parents) to have fun. This program is geared for children up to age 5 and any older siblings who would like to attend. 503-227-0010 YOUNG FAMILY TOT SHABBAT: 10:15-11:15 am, first and third Saturdays at Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, Portland. Join other young families for singing, dancing, stories, indoor picnic-style lunch and Shabbat fun. Free. Rabbi Eve Posen 503-246-8831 KIDDUSH CLUB FOR K-2ND GRADE: 10:15-11:30 am, first and third Saturdays at Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, Portland.

Sing, hear a Torah story, maybe dance. followed by lunch. 503-246-8831 TORAH TROOP FOR 3RD-5TH GRADERS: 10:00-11:30 am, first and third Saturdays, Congregation Neveh Shalom. Meet in the main service for the beginning of the Torah service, and then come out with your friends for a fun and active lesson on the Torah portion (parsha) of the week. Return to the service to help lead Adon Olam, and join the community for lunch!

Free. 503-246-8831 SHABBAT STORYTIME: 9:45-10:15 am, second Saturdays, at Congregation Shir Tikvah, 7550 NE Irving St., Portland. Free. Shabbat gathering of toddlers and their caregivers. Best for kids up to age 5, although older siblings are welcome. Enjoy stories, songs and crafts that celebrate holidays and Jewish values. Stay afterward for bagels and coffee with Rabbi Ariel Stone. 503-473-8227 TORAH YOGA: 10:30 am-noon every second Saturday at Congregation Shaarie Torah, 920 NW 25th Ave., Portland. 503-226-6131 TOT SHABBAT: 9-9:30 am every second Saturday at Congregation Kol Ami, 7800 NE 119th St., Vancouver. Rabbi Elizabeth Dunsker leads a short Shabbat service with singing and storytelling! Craft-making based on the story and a short oneg follows the service. Ages 0 to 5. 360-896-8088 KESSER KIDS' TIME: 10:45 am-noon every second and fourth Saturday at Congregation Kesser Israel, 6698 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland. The program is geared for children ages 2-11. Games, songs, learning, food activity.

Free. 503-222-1239

L iving

J

The Island within an Island: In Search of a Cuban Jewish Story

“To be Cuban and to be Jewish is to be twice survivors.”

– Maritza Corrales, “The Chosen Island”

The synagogue of Santiago.

Founded by the Sephardim in 1924, it was closed sometime after the revolution, and reopened again in 1996 to service its community of 90 or so members.

But in March 2017, the doors were locked again: the last family, we were told, left for Israel.

Editor’s Note: The author of this piece, Irene Shaland, will present "The Jewish Experience against the Background of Cuban History," at the Crypto-Judaic Studies Conference Nov. 5-7 in Philadelphia. The Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies was founded in August 1990 by Rabbi Joshua Stampfer of Portland and Dr. Stanley Hordes of Santa Fe, NM. Story by Irene Shaland | Photos by Alex Shaland

My visit to Cuba in March of 2017 led to a remarkable personal discovery that went against everything I had read before the trip. Today, the Jews of Cuba, once called a remnant of the 15,000-strong community, demonstrate rebirth and reinvention. The tiny community of 1,000 on the island of 11 million people is robust, has a strong sense of identity and is very different from the Jewish community before the 1959 revolution.

The contemporary Cuban Jewish narrative depicts a fascinating trajectory. First, a descent from vibrancy and prosperity to near oblivion after the mass exodus of the 1960s and years of imposed atheism. Then, a recent sudden ascent to becoming a “Celebrity of Tropical

Diaspora,” arguably the most visited and photographed of the world’s Jewish communities.

The Cuban Jewish story reflects not a single community but rather a mosaic of several built by five distinctly different waves of Crypto-Jewish and Jewish immigrants.

Conversos arrive Cuba has been a refuge for the Jews since 1492, when Conversos sought a safe haven from the Spanish Inquisition. Supposedly the first European settler in Cuba was a Converso named Luis de Torres, born Yosef ben Levy Ha-Ivri. An explorer and translator, he sailed with Columbus on the Santa Maria. He is often proclaimed the first Jew to set foot in the Americas! The Luis de Torres Synagogue in Freeport, Bahamas, was named after him.

The Inquisition records show details of several trials and executions of Cuban “Judaizers.”

The Holy Office in the Spanish colonies was abolished only in the early years of the 19th century.

The Cuban settlers of Jewish descent wanted to blend with the Spaniards and “disappear” into Cuba. And they did.

The most famous Crypto-Jew of Cuba was Fidel Castro himself, who admitted on a few OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 61

Beautiful spacious sanctuary of the Beth Shalom synagogue in Havana.The second name of Beth Shalom is Patronato - from “patrons,” the rich Jews of Havana who sponsored this building in 1952.

Havana street scene.

occasions that his ancestors were of Jewish descent.

The 20th-century Jewish story prior to Castro’s revolution Our first stop in Cuba was Santiago, the city that brings history pilgrims to the very roots of Cuban and Jewish history.

Columbus landed in 1492 about 200 kilometers east of what is today Santiago, which became one of the first Spanish settlements on the island. In July 1898, Theodore Roosevelt’s cavalry attacked San Juan Hill and captured the city, ending Spanish domination in Cuba. The American Jews began arriving shortly after. They were the first “real” Jews to settle on the island as part of the much larger and fast-growing American expat community. Attracted by the opportunities of investment and the promise of wealth, they sought to replicate their American environment in Cuba. In 1904, they founded the first synagogue in Havana, a Reform Union Hebrew Congregation, and in 1906 they acquired a plot for a Jewish cemetery. These two events are often considered the official beginning of the English-speaking, Cuban-American Jewish community.

Sephardic Jews arrived next, mostly refugees from Turkey.

Speaking Ladino, they did not have the same language or cultural barriers as did the other Jewish immigrant groups. The largest group settled in Havana. In 1914 this group established its own communal organization, Chevet Ahim, to provide Orthodox religious services to all the Sephardim of Cuba.

Escaping the escalation of rabid anti-Semitism and violent pogroms in Russia and Poland, Ashkenazi Jews began to arrive in Cuba in the beginning of the 20th century. The locals called them “Polacos” (Poles), even though many were not from Poland. Ashkenazim saw their time on the island as only a brief stopover before entering the United States. When U.S. immigration laws stiffened in 1924, the Cuban loophole was closed and Cuba became the Ashkenazim’s home.

The economic decline of the late 1920s created a nationalist revival focused on returning to the Cubans their rights over their own country. Cuban nationalists in cooperation with the Nazi German Embassy in Havana fueled hostility toward 62 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Jewish immigrants.

The fifth and last wave of Jewish immigrants brought European refugees and survivors prior to, during and after World War II. In spite of the anti-Semitic attitudes and tightening of the immigration laws, more than 10,000 Jewish refugees managed to slip into the country between 1933 and 1944. After the war, less than 15% of them remained in Cuba.

Cuban Jewry remained divided into three large sectors: American, Ashkenazi and Sephardi. Each community was a separate entity in their secure corner of a larger “Jewish island” within the island of Cuba, each comfortable with its own cemeteries and services, needs and desires, attitudes and expectations.

Cuba took them all in, and for the most part, with tolerance and acceptance. But Castro’s revolution of 1959 destroyed their world.

Revolution and the “Triumph” Castro reinvented the history and the calendar. The year of 1959 became the Year of the Revolution. By the early 1960s, the Jewish community of Cuba had ceased to exist. Castro’s policies were never anti-Semitic; rather it was his socialistic destruction of the middle class, which included many Jews who chose to flee. Of nearly 15,000 Jews fewer than 1,000 stayed.

The new constitution stated that any religion was illegal. Most synagogues and Jewish schools were closed or abandoned. Jews had to – once again – assimilate and adapt. They also faced ferocious anti-Israeli attitudes and rhetoric after Castro broke with Israel in 1973.

However, the island’s Jewish story defies rationalization.

During our conversation with the vice president of the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Havana, we learned about a luxury the Jews enjoyed. Protected by a 1962 personal letter from Fidel Castro, a tiny kosher butcher shop survived through years of government actions to extinguish any religious observances.

Located in the heart of the former Jewish neighborhood on Calle Cuba, the shop never stopped supplying kosher beef to the Jews of Havana.

Our guide told us that beef is a precious rarity and is allotted to schoolchildren only as part of their free lunch. Cows are considered the property of the state. Available meat is pork.

Why was Fidel sympathetic to the Jewish dietary law? Was it because of his acknowledged Jewish ancestry?

Miracle of Rebirth – The 21st-Century Story nity has become a place to go, to study, to pray, to celebrate, to The Soviet Union had collapsed in the early 1990s sending eat and to get medicine. Beth Shalom is supported by the Joint the Cuban economy into a tailspin. A deep economic crisis and receives numerous donations including medical supplies was defined by a near-total breakdown of transportation and from various groups. agriculture.

David estimates there are 1,200 Jews in Cuba today, with In 1992 Castro created a miracle: to turn the economy from most in Havana. Many have some Jewish ancestry or have dependency on the Soviets to dependency on tourism, espebecome Jews by choice. cially American tourism. The constitution was amended and There are numerous photographs of Fidel Castro at Beth Cuba became a “secular” as opposed to “atheist” state. A new Shalom. In 1998, Castro communicated to the world his law permitted even Communist Party members to participate support of the religious revival by attending the Beth Shalom in religious observances. during what he called a “revolutionary holiday” of Hanukkah Entering Jewish Cuba and lighting a menorah.

The first Cuban synagogue we visited was in Santiago.

We also visited Centro Hebreo Sefaradi, which has Founded by the Sephardim in 1924, it was closed a small exhibit dedicated to the Holocaust. This after the revolution and reopened in 1996 to spacious building doubles as a cultural and serve 90 or so members. But in March performing arts center. Centro Hebreo 2017, the doors were locked again is the only remaining institution when the last family left for Israel. preserving the legacy of Cuban The Cuban Jews are alive and Sephardim. Their old synagogue, well – just not in Cuba.

Chevet Ahim, is in ruins. The Havana, however, presented third synagogue of Havana is an entirely different story. We a small Orthodox shul, Adath stayed in a Jewish hotel! The Israel, which maintains the beautiful building served as the only mikvah in Cuba and office of the Food Industry besupervises the kosher butcher fore falling into disrepair in the shop. Both are thriving.

1970s. With a focus on tourism, While a growing numespecially that of U.S. Jewish ber of Jewish families make groups, it was beautifully restored Aliyah to Israel, the size of as a hotel named Raquel. Jewish the community is nearly stable symbols are interwoven seamlessly as more and more people stop and tastefully with the exquisite art by the synagogue office to find Hotel Raquel, a Jewish-themed establishment, is a beautifully restored Art Nouveau building nouveau elements. Every room is named out what steps they need to take to after a heroine of the Bible, and the restau- in Old Havana. Jewish symbols interwoven become Jews by choice or to talk about seamlessly and tastefully with the exquisite Art rant serves gefilte fish and blintzes. their Jewish ancestry. Are they attractNouveau elements.

In Vedado, a formally upscale neighbored by the promise of a nice meal a few hood, we visited the beautiful Beth Shalom synagogue, which times a week in a country of empty stores? By access to medwas built in the early 1950s by the rich Jews of Cuba or “paicine when even an aspirin is a rarity, and usage of computers trons” (the second name for the synagogue is Patronato). Beth in a city with few internet spots? Perhaps. But mostly what Shalom was restored to its formal grandeur in the early 1990s seems to bring people to Beth Shalom is an idea of belonging by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, “the to something very important, something bigger than separate Joint,” and the Miami Jewish Federation. The complex takes individuals: a robust community, which is more secular than up almost an entire block. religious, with a proud sense of identity and strong leaders.

Learning about Jews of today from David Prinstein By the first decade of the 21st century, the Jewish commuThe vice president of Patronato, David Prinstein, showed us nity of Cuba has turned into a key attraction in Havana for around the synagogue and shared some of the synagogue’s and numerous Jewish tours, a Caribbean celebrity. U.S. synagogues his family’s history. His grandfather arrived from Poland; his and federations organize Jewish heritage-themed travel to parents became founding members of the Cuban Communist Cuba.

Party. While in the military, David kept quiet about his Jewish The Jews of Cuba, having survived the Inquisition and Casorigin. Mixed marriages were common. But even then, Jewish tro’s revolution, are now a powerful community, not in numlife was kept afloat by surviving family memories and by older bers but in spirit, and they are optimistic about its future. people. Three synagogues survived in Havana after the revoIrene Shaland is an internationally published art and travel writer with lution: Adas Israel (Orthodox), Centro Sephardico and the a focus on the rich tapestry of the global Jewish experience. Paperback largest in Havana – Patronato (Conservative). and Kindle editions of her third book, The Dao of Being Jewish and Other An assimilated Jew, David returned to his roots in the 1990s, Stories, are available at Amazon. through study and participation in the synagogue’s life, rising to become its leader. For most of about 800 members, Patronato is a second home, a center of their lives. The Jewish commuOREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 63

L iving

J

FACES & PLACES

MISSION CO-CHAIR – JFGP Director of Finance Ben Winkleblack, center facing camera, visits a World ORT School in Kadima Mada with participants in the Finance Technology and Professionals Institute mission to Israel. Ben co-chaired the mission that took 100 federation professionals from across the U.S. to see the impact of the work Jewish federations do in Israel. World ORT Kadima Mada has six high schools with a high proportion of students from troubled and disadvantaged backgrounds.

BEND B’NAI MITZVAH –Eight adult members of Temple Beth Tikvah in Bend became b’nai mitzvah Oct. 14: (from left, front) Marti Fields Johnson, Jo Booser, Jan Freeman Bauer and Linda Brant; (Back) Rabbi Johanna Hershenson, TBT Hebrew teacher Kathy Schindel, Julie Geveshausen, Tully Ellsberg, Sara Charney Cohen, and Victor Chudowsky. Julie and Jo have played music for the congregation for over seven years and studied for their B’nai Mitzvah as “ger toshav,” non-Jews who have taken on the practices of Judaism. The group studied for a year.

FAMILY CAMP – Rabbi Michael Cahana of Congregation Beth Israel leading a lakeside Shabbat service during the High Holidays Family Camp at B’nai B’rith Camp on Devil’s Lake, Sept. 22-24.

REJEWVENATION BAT MITZVAH – More than 100 women attended ReJewvenation’s 13th year at B’nai B’rith Camp at the Oregon Coast near Lincoln City on Sept 15-17. The highlight of the weekend was an inspirational Bat Mitzvah ceremony led by Dorice Horenstein, holding handle of Torah scroll.

ROCK THE SUKKAH – On Oct. 7, Congregation Shaarie Torah’s Rock the Sukkah raised over $1,000 towards the hurricane disaster relief efforts of Nechama. More than 100 people came out for an evening of music, dancing and fun.

64 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

FACES & PLACES

NOVEMBER CALENDAR

Through Dec. 31

Fall Art Exhibit at MJCC: Jews of Africa – A Photographic Journey through Ancient and Awakening Communities. Jewish photographic documentarian Jono David showcases 59 images from his 4-year project documenting Jewish life, culture and history in 30 African countries and territories. 503535-3555 Through Feb. 4, 2018 OJMCHE Presents two new exhibits: “I AM THIS: Art by Oregon Jewish Artists” & “Munich to Portland, A Painting Saves a Family.” ojmche.org SUKKAH SWEARING IN – Rick Haselton, retired chief judge of the Oregon Court of Appeals, administers the required oath of admission to the practice of law in Oregon to Liliana Di Nola-Baron, a patent attorney who recently moved to Oregon from the DC area. The swearing in took place in Rabbi Tzvi and Esther Fischer’s Sukkah after a Talmud study session on Oct. 10. Di Nola-Baron took the July Oregon Bar Exam, but the Oregon State Bar’s admissions ceremony was held on Oct. 5, the first day of the Sukkot holiday. So Haselton found he could administer the oath personally – which may be the only time the Oregon oath of admission has been administered in a sukkah.

Nov. 1 OPENING: Rachel’s Well Community Mikvah. A mikvah is a Jewish sacred space designed to support Jewish ritual life and personal transitions.

As a community mikvah, Rachel’s Well welcomes both traditional and contemporary immersions. Rachel’s Well is a project of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland in partnership with the Oregon Board of Rabbis. Scheduling, memberships and general information: jewishportland. org/mikvah REPEATS: OJMCHE has exhibition tours every Wednesday and Sunday at 1 pm. Tours are free with admission and members, of course, can always visit for free. Come early or stay after and enjoy lunch in the museum’s Lefty’s Cafe! 503-226-3600 Wise Aging: A four-session book group with Rav D. 4-5:15 pm Nov. 1, 8, 15, 29 at Congregation Neveh Shalom. Mini-course for anyone who is aging, or cares about someone who is. $36 includes book and materials. RSVP: 503-246-8831, kwilkins@nevehshalom.org.

Between the Lines-Voices of Israel: Stories Untold. 7:15 pm in the Stampfer Chapel, Congregation Neveh Shalom. Learn about the life stories of two inspiring young Israelis, Udi and Shiri – their struggles, their success, their military service and their hopes and dreams. Free. 503-246-8831 Nov. 2 Bossa PDX, led by Oregon Jewish Life columnist Kerry Politzer, will perform bossa nova and Brazilian jazz tunes at 7 pm at Wilf’s Restaurant, 800 NW 6th Ave. at Union Station in Portland. Dinner and lounge reservations: 503-223-0070

NEW EXHIBIT – “I AM THIS: Art by Oregon Jewish Artists” opened at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education with a preview Oct. 18. Above, curator Bruce Guenther discusses the exhibit that presents the work of 13 Jewish artists who have roots in Oregon from Mark Rothko and Hilda Morris (whose piece Early Voyagers #2 stands behind him), to a new generation of Oregon artists. Below OJMCHE Executive Director Judy Margles asks artist Wilder Schmaltz about this painting of his grandparents. The exhibit runs Oct. 19 through Feb. 4, 2018.

Stampfer Community Enrichment Award: In Celebration of Tzedakah, honoring Dr. Jill Ginsberg, Tracy Oseran and Sharon Straus. 6 pm, Birnbach Hall, Congregation Neveh Shalom. RSVP: Marg Everett at 503-293-7318 REPEATS: Meditations of the Heart with Sarah Rohr. 7:30 pm, Thursdays in November at Congregation Neveh Shalom. Physical movements and practices to explore, complement and exalt your heartfelt prayers. sarah.e.rohr36@gmail.com

OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017 65

Nov. 5

NOVEMBER CALENDAR

Super Sunday, Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s Community Phone-a-thon.

Children’s activities throughout the day! Two volunteer slots: 9 to 11 am and 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the MJCC. 503-245-6219 CBI Book Club participates in Jewish Book Month with their discussion of The Best Place on Earth by Ayelet Tsarbi. 9 am at Congregation Beth Israel.503-222-1069 CBI Sisterhood Centennial Celebration. 5:30 pm in Goodman Hall, Congregation Beth Israel.

Enjoy music and comedy with the fabulous Wendy Westerwelle and tenor Eric Stern.

Tickets: 503-222-1069 or http:// sisterhoodbirthdaybash.eventbrite.com/ Pages and Pixels: Book and Film Discussion.

4 pm, Congregation Neveh Shalom. Read The Best Place on Earth by Ayelet Tsabari and view the documentary "Dimona Twist" (2017). kgoldhammer@nevehshalom.org.

Adventures with the Mishna Berurah: A Course in Jewish Literacy. Every Sunday 10-11:15 am at Congregation Neveh Shalom. Free.

503-246-8831 REPEATS: A three-part story workshop for Holocaust survivors, their descendants and friends. 1-4 pm, Nov. 5, 12 and 19, at TaborSpace, 5411 SE Belmont, Portland.

Register: storybuilding.brownpapertickets.com.

Info: dawn_robbins@comcast.net

the main sanctuary of Congregation Beth Israel. frankel@lclark.edu

Nosh and Drash with Rabbi Eve Posen. This month: Pirkei Imahot: Wisdom of Mothers, Voices of Women, by Rabbi Posen and Lois Shenker.

3 pm at the MJCC. 503-244-0111 Nov. 10 Oregon NCSY Top Chef Shabbat Edition. Teams of students in grades 6 to 12 compete to create best Shabbat dinner. Cook-off 9 am at Ahavath Achim, 3225 SW Barbur Blvd. Dinner at 6 pm at the MJCC, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy. aviva@ncsy.org or oregon.ncsy.org Nov. 11 Ezra Weiss Sextet Loosewig House Concert. 7:30 pm Southeast Portland. See related story page 32. loosewig.com/events Women’s Torah Study. 12:30 pm at Congregation Neveh Shalom. Taught by Mel Berwin. Free.

503-246-8831 Nov. 12 Eastside Jewish Community Conversations. 2-4 pm at Taborspace, 5441 SE Belmont St. Jewish Eastside Commons initiative envisions a space to accommodate childcare, youth programs, adult programs, Shabbat and holiday observance, private gatherings, office space and larger community events. RSVP: http://bit.ly/2xJlUjj Sunday Film Series: The Many Funny Faces of the Jewish People. 2 pm at OJMCHE. 503-226-3600 Nov. 13

Israeli Folk Dancing with Sue & Friends at Leedy Grange, 835 NW Saltzman Road, Portland. Beginners class 6:30-7 pm; 7-9 pm dancing & light instruction. $6/$10 couples; first timers free. sites.google.com/site/pifdnews/

Outside the Frame presents Leaving Home, an Annual Premiere Gala of new films by youth experiencing homelessness presented with Outside In and Prosper Portland. 6:30 pm at The Armory, 128 NW11th Ave., Portland. FREE, all ages admitted. Doors open at 5:30 pm.Tickets: http://bit.ly/otfgala

Nov. 7

Nov. 14

Learn the Art of Jewish Storytelling; threemonth course 6:15-8:15 pm Tuesdays, Nov. 7-Dec.12, Jan. 9-23; Performance Jan. 30, 7-9 pm. Led by Professional Storyteller Brian Rohr.

Register: jbezodis@nevehshalom.org, 503-293-7309

Eastside Jewish Community Conversations. 6-8 pm at the Kennedy School Community Room, 5736 NE 33rd Ave. (see Nov. 12). RSVP: http:// bit.ly/2xJlUjj

Nov. 6 & 20

Nov. 9 A Broken Hallelujah:Tribute to Leonard Cohen on the night of broken glass (Kristallnacht). 7 pm, in 66 OREGON JEWISH LIFE | NOVEMBER 2017

Sephardic Film Festival Opening Night Reception with Sephardic food and wine. 6:30 pm reception ($8), 7 pm film (free) at Congregation Ahavath Achim, 3225 SW Barbur Blvd., Portland. Flory’s Flame, first film in monthly series through April.

503-750-0888

Nov. 16-18 L-E-V presented by White Bird. Powerful dance from Israel featuring Sharon Eyal, Gai Behar and OCD Love. 8 pm at Lincoln Hall, PSU. whitebird.org Nov. 19 Ayelet Tsarbi, author of The Best Place on Earth, will speak via Skype in honor of Jewish Book Month. 11 am at Cedar Sinai Park (Zidell Room).

Three panelists will each discuss one of the stories and their impact on the reader. Presented

by MJCC in partnership with Portland Jewish Book Celebration and Congregation Beth Israel. 503244-0111 Conversation with historian Linda Gordon, author of The Second Coming of the KKK: The Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s and the American Political Tradition. 2 pm at OJMCHE. 503-226-3600 Nov. 28 #Doing Tuesday: JFGP hosts volunteers at the Oregon Food Bank’s main location and Beaverton location. This is an evening of service, gratitude and tzedakah as volunteers (ages 6 and up) will prepare food to be distributed to hungry families in the Portland area. 503-892-6219 Nov. 30 Belly Laughs: Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s 2018 Gala. Israeli standup comic Joel Chasnoff and Israeli chef and New York City restaurateur Einat Admony. 6-9 pm at the MJCC. 503-245-6473 Dec. 4 Never Again Coalition monthly meeting, 7 pm at Congregation Neveh Shalom. neveragaincoalition@gmail.com Dec. 5 Unresolved Issues of the 20th Century: The Quest for the Repatriation of Nazi Looted Art. Lecture by Donald Burris, 7 pm, at OJMCHE. 503-266-3600 Dec. 8-10 Scholar in Residence: Amir Tibon, award-winning journalist and Washington, DC, correspondent for Ha’aretz. Neveh Shalom and the Suher family present the second annual Scholar in Residence program in memory of Yoni Suher, who died in a terrorist attack in Turkey in March 2016.

503-246-8831 Calendar abbreviations: MJCC, Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy. Portland OJMCHE, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, 724 NW Davis St, Portland

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