MARCH/APRIL 2020
The seder plate as art
Oy Vey Vegan's Estee Raviv
Get Ready for Camp!
JEANA EDELMAN HOTLIPS Pizza owner and artist feeds the culture of Portland
S C H E C H T E R S PA R K A C E L E B R AT I O N H O N O R I N G T H E L E G A C Y O F R A B B I J O S H U A & G O L D I E S TA M P F E R , Z ” L W I T H T H E M I G D A L O R AWA R D FUNDRAISER AND BRUNCH AT N E V E H S H A L O M , P D X EVENT CHAIRS: M A R C I AT K I N S A N D S H E R I C O R D O VA
L E A R N M O R E A N D R E G I S T E R AT W W W. C A M P S C H E C H T E R . O R G / S PA R K
CON TE N T S Oregon Jewish Life • March/April 2020 • Adar-Nisan-Iyyar 5780 • Volume 9/Issue 2
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COVER STORY Jeana Edelman: HOTLIPS Pizza owner and artist feeds the culture of Portland 26
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BUSINESS Biz Ins & Outs
B’nai B’rith Camp offers a totally inclusive camping experience 14 Camp Kesher – making Judaism fun for kids 16 Instill a love for Jewish camp early with PJ Library Family Camp 18 JCamp 180’s Camp Legacy Initiative 20 Trail Blazers 22 Camp Directory 24
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FASHION Fashion trends for 2020
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PASSOVER A seder plate for every table
JLIVING Previews Face & Places
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ACTIVELY SENIOR Finally, a pill that could fix the root cause of diabetes 46
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CAMPS
FRONT & CENTER Jeweler Freida Rothman links her past with her future 38 Three Rabbis who shaped a city 42 42
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FEATURES
FOOD Spicy roasted cauliflower on a bed of green tahini 34
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ISRAEL How Magen David Adom is protecting Israel’s blood supply Leib Bolel: In the business of uniting Israel and Arizona
Cover: Jeana Edelman
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MARCH/APRIL 2020 OREGON JEWISH LIFE • ADAR-NISAN-IYYAR 5780 • VOLUME 9/ISSUE 2
PU B LI S H E R Cindy Salt zman
A DV E R TI S I N G A N D E D ITO R I A L D I R EC TO R Cindy Salt zman
H OW T O R E AC H U S
602-538 -2955 EDITORIAL: editor @ojlife.com ADVERTISING SALES: 602-538-2955 or adver tise@ojlife.com E VENTS: editor @ojlife.com BUSINESS: publisher @ojlife.com
E D ITO R- I N - C H I E F
Oregon Jewish Life magazine in available online Mala Blomquis t
ART DIREC TOR Tamara Kopper
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jay Bycer
at orjewishlife.com. Send business information or event photographs to editor@ojlife.com. CALENDAR: Please post events on our online calendar. To request first-time authorization to post events online, go to
Abigail Klein Leichman
orjewishlife.com and scroll down to the “calendar access request”
Es tee Raviv
link under “Quick Links” on the right. After you submit the form, you’ll receive an email with instructions for posting future event.
A Prince Hal Produc t ion ( TGMR18) 2020-2021 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 services. 6
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 7
PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE 8
CINDY SALTZMAN Publisher
HATE IN THE CITY It has been a very long few weeks‌ Mala Blomquist, our editor for both Oregon and Arizona Jewish Life magazines, was one of the nationwide targets of hate crimes carried out by the neo-Nazi terrorist network, Atomwaffen Division. Arrests have been made, and now we feel like talking. Actually, we feel an obligation to speak out, to inform and to bear witness to the fact, that anyone can be a victim of hate and terrorism; even the kindest person I know, who is not Jewish but was targeted simply because of her association with a Jewish lifestyle media company. This was a nationwide campaign of hate and intimidation, targeting journalists in Arizona, Texas, Florida and Washington state. Thank you to the FBI, Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, the prosecutor, and so many others who were pretty relentless in uncovering and arresting these homegrown terrorists.
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
Poster glued to a bedroom window of Mala’s home.
Raymond Duda, FBI Special Agent in Charge in Seattle, speaks about charges against a group of alleged members of the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division.
And a special mention should be made to the brave news reporters and journalists who pursue these kinds of stories daily, and often at great risks to themselves. Now more than ever, we all need to understand that you don’t have to be Jewish to be the victim of a hate crime, you don’t have to be black, Hispanic, or LGBTQ to be the victim of a hate crime. Hatred and ignorance are the enemies. Read more. Watch here Hug your loved ones a little tighter this evening. I know we will.
Newslet ter: orjewishlife.com, click on “Subscribe Now!” Facebook: @ojlife Twit ter: @JewishLifeNow Instagram: @JEWISHLIFENOW Call: 602-538-A Z JL (2955)
Email us: publisher@ojlife.com advertise@ojlife.com calendar@azjewishlife.com editor@ojlife.com
OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 9
HAPPY PASSOVER
BIZ
INS & OUTS
Ed Stoner
Oregon Jewish Community Foundation/Harold Grinspoon
Ed Stoner to join Temple University Ed Stoner will be joining the Temple University administrative team as the Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations in the College of Education in Philadelphia. PA. “Elyse, Mitchell, Dew and I have enjoyed our time in Portland, and all look forward to the new adventures ahead in Philadelphia,” posted Ed on Facebook. Ed is the co-founder of The 5-29 Group Sport Consulting that provides research and advice for staff management, athletic and recreational facility design, equipment selection and layout, and program development and evaluation. From Dec. 2017 until July 2019 he was the executive director at Touchmark, a company that develops, owns, and operates award-winning full-service retirement communities in the United States and Canada. temple.edu Oregon Jewish Community Foundation to lead Connections The Harold Grinspoon Foundation has selected the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation to lead the pilot program “Connections” an extension of its nationwide LIFE & LEGACY program. OJCF and the Oregon community were one of only three communities, out of sixty-three LIFE & LEGACY partners, selected to test this pilot program. The other two are the Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community in Charlotte, NC, and the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County in Irvine, CA. “Connections” is a collaborative effort between LIFE & LEGACY and Gateway for Good, a public benefit corporation whose focus is to leverage the radical power of the giving experience to impact the hearts and minds of those who give. ojcf.org Rev. Gevurtz joins Shelter For The Spirit Rev. Theresa “Rivka” Gevurtz, MDiv. joined Shelter For The Spirit in January as an interfaith minister, spiritual director and chaplain. Shelter For The Spirit, is an interfaith spiritual private practice, offering 10
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
Rev. Theresa "Rivka" Gevurtz
MIGAL Research
spiritual direction, lifecycle rituals, end of life doula resources and Reiki. Rev. Gevurtz has a special focus on healing religious wounding. A sojourner who has dwelled in multiple faith traditions; a social justice activist devoted to “the least of these;” and a believer in the holiness of all beings, Rev. Gevurtz companions others as they explore the prophetic voice within themselves and discover their own relationship with that which is sacred to them. shelterforthespirit.com Israeli researchers near Covid-19 vaccine development Scientists at MIGAL Research Institute in Israel expect to start producing a Covid-19 vaccine in the next eightten weeks, based on their avian coronavirus Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) vaccine. The team developed the IBV vaccine after four years of research, funded by the country’s Ministry of Science & Technology and conducted in alliance with the Ministry of Agriculture. IBV is a disease affecting poultry, and the new vaccine was found to be effective in pre-clinical trials at the Volcani Institute. The researchers discovered a potential Covid-19 vaccine candidate as a by-product of the IBV vaccine. They made genetic alterations to adapt the IBV vaccine to the human strain of the novel coronavirus. migal.org.il My Dear Watson recommended reading for International Women’s Day My Dear Watson written by Margaret Park Bridges will be part of the suggested reading on March 8 for International Women’s Day.
Margaret Park Bridges
The book shares perhaps the greatest mystery surrounding Sherlock Holmes – was he actually a woman? The master – or perhaps mistress – of disguise finally puts pen to paper to reveal a decades-long deception and, in so doing, uncovers another shocking secret. The complex mind of the brilliant consulting detective is finally opened to the public, in the chronicle of a new case never recorded by Watson, which introduces Constance Moriarty, the beguiling daughter of Holmes’s nefarious nemesis. amazon.com
HAVE BUSINESS NEWS TO SHARE? Send your "Biz Ins" to editor@ojlife.com OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 11
ADVERTORIAL
THE HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION (HGF) has selected the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation (OJCF) to lead the pilot program “Connections” an extension of its nationwide LIFE & LEGACY® program. OJCF and the Oregon community were one of only three communities, out of sixty-three LIFE & LEGACY partners, selected to test this pilot program. The other two are the Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community in Charlotte, NC, and the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County in Irvine, CA.
OJCF Named by Grinspoon Foundation to Participate in Pilot Program.
Since 1991, HGF has invested more than $200 million in programs that make Jewish life and Jewish community more vibrant and more connected. Two of its most recognizable initiatives, OJCF’s Create a Jewish Legacy/LIFE & LEGACY program and PJ Library, have been very successful in Portland, Eugene and other Oregon communities. “The Harold Grinspoon Foundation invests in projects that provide a strong return on investment for the Jewish community,” said Arlene D. Schiff, National Director of the Grinspoon Foundation’s LIFE & LEGACY program. “As one of our first LIFE & LEGACY communities, we have great respect for the work of OJCF and have seen firsthand their commitment to developing a strong culture of philanthropy in Portland and Eugene. We are thrilled that they are now launching a second cohort of LIFE & LEGACY that will reach into other regions of Oregon and SW Washington. We want our partner communities to understand that, despite having completed the four-year LIFE & LEGACY curriculum, we remain committed to assisting them in securing the future of valued organizations and their vibrant Jewish community. The funding of this pilot program is HGF’s way of showing our confidence in and commitment to OJCF and the Oregon and SW Washington Jewish community.” “Connections” is a collaborative effort between LIFE & LEGACY and Gateway for Good, a public benefit corporation whose focus is to leverage the radical power of the giving experience to impact the hearts and minds of those who give. Gateway for Good’s principals, Yale Levey, managing director of Next Generation Wealth Planning and Ryan Ponsford, a principal at Akili Capital and founder of Main Street Philanthropy, a 501c3 public charity, each have over
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MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
20 years’ experience advising families and organizations on enhanced philanthropic giving and multigenerational continuity. They are sought after speakers and thought leaders who use giving to create connections, foster trust and communication, and teach financial principles. “Connections” will bring together members of the Jewish community to participate in an interactive workshop designed to help identify and understand one’s passion for giving, evaluate one’s potential to make an impact, and inspire conversations and connections, consistent with Jewish heritage and values. “Providing Jewish communities with proven tools and training to help them secure their long-term financial goals is absolutely vital,” said Harold Grinspoon, founder of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. “Our investment in “Connections”
reflects our continued commitment to our LIFE & LEGACY communities by supporting innovative initiatives to assist their work and allow future generations to enjoy our rich Jewish culture and heritage.” “It’s an incredible honor for OJCF to be selected by the Grinspoon Foundation to help them develop this prototype for philanthropic engagement,” said Julie Diamond, OJCF President and CEO. “The commitment and success of Grinspoon-supported initiatives speak for themselves. A program that is designed to engage donors and assist them in identifying their passions corresponds directly with the unique position of OJCF and its mission. It enables us to use our expertise to serve our donors more effectively with their current and legacy giving.”
OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 13
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W ISH LIFE
CAM PS We may have just started to get spring fever, but summer will be here before
B’nai B’rith Camp offers a totally inclusive camping experience By Mala Blomquist B'nai B'rith Camp
you know it. It’s not too early to start thinking about how your kids are going to spend their summer. If you’re considering summer camp, those slots are filling up fast, so start looking now to find the right camp for your child and one that will not only provide fun and adventure but will also build memories that will last a lifetime.
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’nai B’rith Camp may be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, but they have achieved another milestone recently. BB Camp is one of the first camps in the country to get an accreditation from the National Inclusion Project. The National Inclusion Project is a nonprofit organization, founded in 2003, dedicated to promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities in activities with their non-disabled peers. Before the beginning of camp last year, brand new cabins were completed on the south side of the campus, and all were made compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. “You can get to those cabins in a wheelchair and go up to the second floor because we created bridges rather than staircases,” says BB Camp’s Executive Director, Michelle Koplan. “It’s beautiful and amazing and right now, we are doing the north side cabins and five of the six of those buildings will also be ADA accessible.”
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
Their goal was to make every a term used at universities that cabin’s second floor ADA refers to indoor sports areas. This accessible by a bridge, but the area will also be ADA accessible. last one proved to be too much “There will be accessibility of a challenge. The architects from the gym through the were designing a long walking locker rooms to the pool,” says bridge, like the ones you see Michelle. “So the entire campus across roadways, from the pool will be completely accessible for deck to the second floor of this every child. That’s the very last cabin. project, and it is supposed to be Cabins at “We were really trying to do B'nai B'rith have done by our 100th anniversary been made ADA accessible. it, and then in the end – the way next year.” the land was shaped there, they She continues, “It’s amazing couldn’t get it to work where it would be safe and actually to think 100 years ago somebody thought, ‘Let’s make bear a load,” says Michelle. sure there are great spaces for the Jewish communities in Last year of the almost 600 overnight campers they Oregon,’” referring to BB Camp and some of the other served, 135 children had special accommodations. Jewish organizations in the state that are also approaching “We’re are a totally inclusive camp,” says Michelle. “Our the milestone anniversary. philosophy is that every child should have the opportunity In 2020, BB Camp will begin the celebration with all to participate in Jewish camping, so we don’t separate kinds of 100th-anniversary events and activities. Their anybody. Every cabin has children of all kinds because we summer camp offers 2-, 3- and 4-week sessions from June are all different, right?” 30 through Aug. 18 and is located on the shores of Devil’s The new north side cabins will be completed before Lake just outside of Lincoln City, OR. this summer camp season starts, and then the last major project left will be to complete a brand new “field house,” For more information, visit bbcamp.org.
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Camp Kesher – making Judaism fun for kids By Mala Blomquist
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amp Kesher is the newest overnight camp serving Jewish kids in Oregon and Washington. Its first weeklong camp was held in 2019 at a lodge on Mount Hood. This year the 12-day camp will be located at Camp Lacamas near Lake Lacamas in Camas, WA. “This place is better for us, Mount Hood was a great lodge, but there were no grounds,” says Meira Spivak, camp direct at Camp Kesher and NCSY’s Oregon director. “This is a real camp with cabins and an auditorium, and it’s by a lake. We’re accessible to Oregon and Washington – it’s right on the border. It’s a beautiful location and it will give us more space.” Meira started the camp because she realized that for many kids after their bar or bat mitzvah, after studying so hard for such a momentous occasion, they get kind of “burnt out” on Judaism. “Unfortunately, for many kids, instead of it being the beginning of their Jewish connection, it turns into almost the end,” she says. “I’m trying to undo that and I truly believe that the only way kids are going to want to stay Jewish long term is if everything Jewish is fun and enjoyable.” Camp Kesher is an outdoor-focused camp with activities like white water rafting, hiking, recreational activities and camping – all infused with a love of Judaism. The day starts with Jew Jitsu, Jewish centered learning and activities, which for some campers may consist of formal prayer, and for others, it could be just a conversation. The choice is up to the individual. “The kids are from all different backgrounds,” says Meira. “We have kids coming who are affiliated and unaffiliated. No matter where kids are, we want to meet them where they are and give them a positive experience.” The staff of Camp Kesher is a combination of those with NCSY backgrounds and college and high school students with previous camp or youth group experience. “They’re not counselors that are trying to go and hang out with each other at 16
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
night. They are coming to make sure that every kid is having a good time, and that’s our number one priority,” says Meira. The activities are also top-notch, and thoroughly planned. Meira jokes that last year’s camp was only a week long, and she spent about a month planning each day. “We put so much thought into it, and we have so much experience in camping and traveling and working with kids collectively. We have a lot of resources and background with NCSY.” Another unique thing is that all of the food at Camp Kesher is homemade. Meira used to be a caterer, so she oversees the food preparation. They also work closely with the families of those children who have special diets so that they can accommodate their needs. The 12-day camp is available to current fourth through ninth graders, and there’s also a 3-day option for current third graders. There is a staff and training program for 10th through 12th graders, and those staff and trainers will receive a stipend at the end of the session. The camp is also affordable for an overnight camp. “We feel that Jewish camp is a necessity; it’s not even a luxury, and kids really need the engagement during the summer,” says Meira. The camp is $1,150 for 12 days, including registration. Financial aid is also available. “Everything we do – our programs are dynamic, exciting and they’re run professionally, and that’s the standard that we go for,” says Meira. “We don’t want Camp Kesher to be the best-kept secret in the Northwest.” For more information, visit campkesher.ncsy.org.
Just some of the activities that Camp Keshar has to offer.
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Instill a love for Jewish camp early with PJ Library Family Camp
SPRING FAMILY CAMP WHEN: May 1-3
WHERE: B’nai B’rith Camp NE East Devils Lake Rd, Otis, OR COST: Adults – $125, Kids ages 3 and older – $100, Kids 2 and under – FREE! MORE INFORMATION: Contact bamirbrownstein@bbcamp.org 18
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
A
n appreciation for family reading and Jewish children’s literature has led several communities to combine the benefits of Jewish family camp together with the PJ Library program. The resulting initiative, PJ Library Family Camp, offers families with young children a unique all-inclusive weekend adventure. Family camp combines the benefits of togetherness and structured activity with the bonus of being in a natural, outdoor setting. Families can slow down, unplug and enjoy traditional camp activities such as arts & crafts, campfires, sing-a-longs, nature exploration, sports, ropes course and more. There is also adult social time as children are supervised and engaged in camp adventures with new friends. The weekend camp is designed to be best for families with children ages 6 and under (older siblings are always welcome). By choosing a Jewish family camp, families can also rekindle the Jewish spirit, as they celebrate Shabbat and Havdalah with songs, stories, and rituals – all alongside new Jewish family friends. This year, the PJ Library will hold their Spring Family Camp on May 1-3 at B’nai B’rith Camp. Throughout 2020, BB Camp will be hosting many other family camps, including High Holidays Family Camp, Israeli Family Camp, Russian Jewish Community Family Camp and Portland Jewish Academy’s Family Camp. During the Spring Family Camp, you and your family can experience fun camp activities such as swimming, arts & crafts, ziplining, canoeing, archery, sports and much more. Your family will also get to show off their skills in the Family Camp Talent Show. For all the camps that BB camp has to offer, visit bbcamp.org.
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JCamp 180’s Camp Legacy Initiative
JCamp 180’s annual conference draws hundreds of camp professionals.
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Camp 180 is a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and was created to ensure affiliated Jewish camps thrive and endure. Through grants, mentoring, and professional development programs as well as an annual conference, they build the capacity of Jewish camps to operate more effectively and successfully. JCamp 180 helps camp professionals and lay leadership develop strong governing boards, create strategic plans and guide fundraising and outreach. Staff work both on and offsite, helping camps to raise funds for capital improvements. The result: Jewish camp attendance has grown from 43,000 in 2004 to more than 80,000 campers across the nation today. Since 2008, JCamp 180 has sponsored the Camp Legacy Initiative to encourage camps to take advantage of long-term philanthropic opportunities from their alumni, parents and other friends of camp. Based on a highly successful model conceived by Gail Littman at the San Diego Jewish Community Foundation, Camp Legacy is a three-year program providing training, guidance and financial incentives to inspire camps to plan and launch a program to actively seek bequests and other after-life gift commitments to benefit camps’ endowments. To date, 57 camps have participated in JCamp 180’s Camp Legacy Initiative. Of these, 41 have achieved their three-year legacy goals and incentives while seven more are actively pursuing their goals. Approximately 3,580 individuals and families have made legacy pledges to camps, representing an estimated $76.5 million in future commitments to their favorite camps. Each year, at their annual conference, The JCamp 180 Gail Littman Memorial Legacy stewardship award recognizes the camp that has demonstrated the best active stewardship of its legacy donors over the past year. Presented for the first time in 2013, this award honors the memory of Gail Littman z”l of San Diego, CA, who was the inspiration and driving force behind the Camp Legacy program, and who tirelessly promoted the value of stewarding legacy donors to everyone who worked with her. The 15th Annual Conference, which was held in the fall of 2019, invited nearly 400 attendees from the U.S. and Canada to participate in training sessions, workshops, networking opportunities, and speaking programs geared to help nonprofit camps better manage their operations. The sessions, lead by experts in the field, cover a variety of content including best practices in camp leadership, technology, governance, strategic planning and fundraising. For more information on JCamp 180, visit jcamp180.org.
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MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
ke-sher
noun 1. The Hebrew word for connection synonyms: link, relationship, association
campkesher.ncys.org
NOW IN YEAR 2 !
Located at Lake Lacamas in Camas, WA
TO REGISTER
For tweens & teens currently in 4th - 9th grades Director: Meira Spivak
9 AUG 20 AUG 2020
CAMP KESHER
2020
Camp Kesher is NCYS’s end of summer sleepaway camp that offers Jewish kids and teens in grades 4-9 the opportunity to spend almost two weeks connecting with nature, their peers and their Jewish heritage. For more information contact Meira Spivak - meria@ncys.org 503.757.3037
COST $1100*
*Plus a $50 nonrefundable registration fee.
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TRAIL BLAZERS Off to camp? May we suggest some necessary items no camper should be without. REPEL Plant-based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent Pump Spray 4 fl oz Target.com • $4.99
EVERBRITE 9-LED Flashlight 6-pack Impact Handheld Torch Assorted Colors with Lanyard 3AAA Batteries Included amazon.com • $14.99
COLORFUL IMAGES Custom Sharks Name Stickers 5/8" x 2", Set of 240 colorfulimages.com • $8.99 ZIONOR K-2 Waterproof Big Frame Kids Swimming Goggles (Children, youth, teenage boys, girls zionor.com $15.99
EQUATE VIBRACLEAN Pulsating Soft Power Toothbrush (2CT) Walmart.com • $6.97
RAIN PONCHO Made-to-Order. Warmlite.com $105.00 - $115.00
GRACE-SIRENA FUSHIA Kids Flip-Flops Mermaidsdistrict.com $18.99
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AUDIBLE.COM Audible is the world’s largest producer and provider of spoken-word entertainment and audiobooks audible.com $14.95 monthly REI CO-OP Tarn 18 Pack Kids rei.com $44.95
TESLA Power Bank primoproducts.co.nz • $7.19
VILEBREQUIN Boy's Jim printed swim trunks Size 2-14 vilebrequin.com $135.00
Ray-Ban RB3716 Sunglasses, Unisex framesdirect.com • $165.00
VICTORINOX Swiss Army Pocket Knife amazon.com • $59.99
PIMMYTEES Lion of Judah printed crewneck sweatshirt pimmytees.com $26.95 PATAGONIA Trim Brim Hat Boys' backcountry.com $39.00
TEXAS INSTRUMANTS TI-30XS MultiView Scientific Calculator meijer.com • $19.99
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CAMP DIRECTORY BB DAY CAMP PORTLAND Located at Congregation Beth Israel 1972 NW Flanders, Portland, OR 503-496-7447 bbcamp.org/portland Located at Congregation Beth Israel in Northwest Portland, BB Day Camp offers a warm and welcoming Jewish camp experience filled with art, dance, water play, martial arts, gymnastics, music, Jewish enrichment, and Shabbat celebrations for campers entering Pre-K through grade 6 and a leadership program for 7-8 grades. Extended care and lunch available.
B’NAI B’RITH CAMP Located on Devil’s Lake, Otis, OR 503-452-3443 bbcamp.org B’nai B’rith Camp is a vibrant and inclusive community rooted in Jewish values that offers activities including the arts, athletics, lake activities, outdoors, swimming, leadership development, social action, Jewish identity, Israeli culture and Shabbat celebrations. At BB Camp, every summer is an opportunity for deep, meaningful and lifelong friendships.
CAMP KESHER 2025 NE Goodwin Road, Camas, WA 503-757-3037 campkesher.ncsy.org Camp Kesher, NCSY’s newest summer program in the Pacific Northwest, is an end-of-summer sleep-away camp for Jewish students who love the outdoors and are striving to reach new heights. Camp Kesher offers 4th-9th graders the opportunity to spend a week connecting with nature, their peers and their Jewish heritage. 24
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
CAM P HABONIM DROR CAMP MIRIAM #303 - 950 W 41st Ave., Vancouver, BC 604-266-2825 campmiriam.org Located on beautiful Gabriola Island in British Columbia, Camp Miriam offers an inclusive, empowering community for kids from Grades 2-11. Through fun and imaginative programming, we provide extraordinary experiences where everyone has the freedom to explore their values, express their ideas and make a difference. Campers learn about Israel, Jewish history, social justice and the environment. Kayaking, sports, Shabbat at the Point, Israeli dancing and overnight hiking trips – there’s adventure and magic for everyone.
MJCC SUMMER DAY CAMP 6651 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland, OR 503-244-0111 oregonjcc.org/daycamp MJCC Day Camp offers full day fun with flexible options from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. Great for working parents and tons of options for your kids from traditional day camp to specialty camps including gymnastics, cooking, soccer and more. Open to everyone! Swim everyday! Ages 3-15.
PJA SUMMER DISCOVERY 6651 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland, OR 503-244-0126 pjaproud.org/summer PJA Summer Discovery offers exceptional classes taught by professional, experienced, passionate teachers. Exercise your brain in a fun way with engineering, Makerspace, chemistry, gardening and more. Create, build or test a new idea. Challenge yourself to learn something new! Full day options. Open to everyone. Ages 4-15.
URJ CAMP KALSMAN 3805 108th Ave NE #100, Bellevue, WA 425-284-4484 campkalsman.org Camp Kalsman’s 300 beautiful acres offer a great balance of Jewish education and recreation. Our campers learn and hone skills in athletic, aquatic, artistic and nature programs. Join us for a summer of fun, friendships of a lifetime, and an unparalleled Jewish experience. We can’t wait to welcome you home!
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COVER STORY
JEANA EDELMAN:
HOTLIPS Pizza the culture 26
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
owner and artist feeds of Portland By Mala Blomquist OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 27
JEANA EDELMAN
J
eana Edelman was born in Eugene, OR, but her family moved to Portland when she was just 5 years old. Her parents, Alfred, z”l, and Carol Edelman, were both architects and moved to Oregon from New York City when her father got a job at the architectural school at the University of Oregon. The family moved to Willamette Heights in 1965, where Jeana started first grade at Chapman Elementary School. She went to Metropolitan Learning Center for middle school and moved DAVID AND JEANA to Catlin Gabel private school for high school. She acquired her love for art in middle school at Metropolitan Learning Center. HOTLIPS owners David Yudkin and Jeana Edelman; HOTLIPS Pizza Civic location at SW 18th & Morrison; There, she learned quilting, ceramics, calligraphy and Tomato, corn and feta cheese pizza. batik. She would practice her craft with batik wax melting on a hotplate in the basement and quilting projects spread out. Portland, running all the restaurants. “We finally said, Jeana attended Pacific Northwest College of Art in ‘This is crazy!’ We were trying to have a baby, and I Portland (after a false start in the Bay Area, she says) and said, ‘Pick a town!’ ” remembers Jeana. The couple chose then went to graduate school at Columbia University in Portland. At this time, her father was very ill, so they New York City. sold off the Seattle stores and moved to Portland full She stayed in New York for a few years, and then she time in 1994. and her husband, David Yudkin, moved back to the And where did the name HOTLIPS come from? It is – West Coast to help with the family business, HOTLIPS you guessed it – from the character on M*A*S*H. Loretta Pizza. Swit played Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan for 251 episodes of the beloved television show. ALL IN THE FAMILY “It’s so funny, young people now have no idea what Alfred Edelman was a founding partner of HOTLIPS that means,” says Jeana. “Someone said to me not long Pizza in 1984. At that time, he owned restaurants in ago; you mean the M*A*S*H with the asterisks? And Seattle, WA and the greater Portland area. “In 1989, he I had to think about it for a minute, but that’s how the called and asked if we would come to run Seattle, and word is spelled out.” that started a few years of taking over the ownership of Today, Jeana and David are the sole owners of six the company from the other partners that had started it HOTLIPS locations in Portland with 155 employees. with my dad,” says Jeana. David works very hard on maintaining their values in After the family became sole owners, Jeana and their business practices, namely through support of David would drive back and forth between Seattle and local producers and the local economy. Many of their 28
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And where did the name HOTLIPS come from? It is – you guessed it – from the character on M*A*S*H. “Someone said to me not long ago; you mean the M*A*S*H with the asterisks? And I had to think about it for a minute, but that’s how the word is spelled out.” ~Jeana Edelman
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JEANA EDELMAN
“I call myself a multiple personality artist because I would make different kinds of work that didn’t look like the same person had made them for the restaurants.” ~Jeana Edelman
ingredients are bought from local farmers and farmers’ markets. HOTLIPS also makes all of its packaging compostable and takes sustainability one step further, with the heat from the ovens at their Pearl District location used to heat the entire restaurant. Jeana has pulled away from the day-to-day operations of running the restaurants; David is in charge there. “I wanted to get back to my creative life after the kids were gone and all that jazz,” jokes Jeana. She has managed over the years to find a way to combine the pizza business with her art. She calls herself the “aesthetic engineer,” seeing that the brand stays true to its foundation: pleasure, culture, intellectual rigor, aesthetic beauty and responsible business. “I’m the boss of everything that is seen and felt in the environment,” says Jeana. “So early on, I realized that if I was going to provide all the artwork for all the restaurants, I certainly didn’t want them to look like the same person had done it all.” This idea eventually blossomed into her photography work. She has been taking photographs for a long time, and her father was also a photographer. “I call myself a multiple personality artist because I would make different kinds of work that didn’t look like the same person had made them for the restaurants,” she jokes. Jeana's varied art mediums include photography, jewelry making, pen and ink drawing and painting.
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FOR THE LOVE OF ART For the first 10 years after graduate school, Jeana had an art show every year. That schedule became harder to maintain with children and running a restaurant chain. “I did sort of drift off the art for a bunch of years,” says Jeana. “I didn’t necessarily stop making art, but I stopped trying to achieve in the outside world, which was a big relief. I could also quit feeling like I wasn’t doing anything well. That is the problem with trying to do too many things.” Jeana used to have negative feelings about having more than one project going at once. “I’ve always felt that that was a bad thing, and now I think that’s my thing, it’s not bad or good, it just is,” she says. Since she has learned to embrace the variety and not be so serious about sticking with one kind of identity, she is free to dabble in many mediums. Lately, she has been focusing on drawing, writing poetry, photography and jewelry. She’s been working on drawings called “Visitations,” and “Guardian Angels” where she intends that spirits can return to their old haunts and wander into the drawings. Jeana prints these figurative drawings on 4” x 6” cards and sends packs of them to loved ones and people she knows are in need. “It’s reaching out, you know, in a quiet way,” she says. Jeana is working with a mentor on her poetry, working to build her voice and her confidence in her writing. Her
work has not been published, but that is a future goal. She is also excited for her photographs to be part of the Pacific NW Drawers program at Blue Sky, the Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts in Portland starting in April. The Drawers program features original prints by more than 60 artists based in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. The Drawers is a year-long exhibition, that changes every April to coincide with Portland Photo Month. Her most recent creative outlet, and one that she says, “came out of left field,” is jewelry making. “A few years ago, I was given an award, and I had to go stand up on stage, and I thought, ‘I have nothing to wear,’ so I made my first necklace and it worked,” she remembers. Jeana admits she didn’t know anything about jewelry making, so she has had kind of a steep learning curve, but it’s been a lot of fun. She finds the beads she uses in her pieces at gem shows, estate sales, thrift stores (the best ones are in small towns, she says) and people have been coming to her with beads from their grandmother or great aunt that they have never been able to wear. Jeana turns these beads into a wearable piece, bringing new life to something that had previously been laying in a drawer. “That’s been very meaningful. I love handling beads that come with history, when they come down through families like this – they’re very special,” says Jeana. “And
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JEANA EDELMAN
GIVE WORRY A TIME OUT
then connecting so immediately with people. Jeana has been making jewelry for about five years now. She has become more discerning when she travels to gem and bead shows and no longer falls in love with everything she sees. She is trying to figure out how to move the jewelry business forward and what to do next. She holds salons at her house throughout the year so people can just come and try things on. She’s also open anytime by appointment. “It’s fun to open the house a couple of times a year and have an all-out jewelry extravaganza,” says Jeana. “I started having some other artists show with me. Last time I had a painter and a wonderful clothing maker, that makes it more interesting and fun.” When asked if there is anything left to try in the art world, Jeana responds quickly, “No! I’m very into my photography right now, and the writing and the jewelry, and that’s enough.” CREATIVE COMMUNITY Recently, Jeana has become involved with a group called Create More, Fear Less (createmorefearless.org) that helps school children learn how to channel their anxiety, not only into creativity but also to reframe it, so it’s not a negative. “That’s actually gotten me to realize that I’ve been using creativity to channel my anxiety for 32
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decades,” admits Jeana. Create More, Fear Less was inspired by Kathleen Lane’s personal experience with anxiety, and by the experiences of students she met while visiting schools with her book, The Best Worst Thing. Jeana got to know Kathleen through mutual friends. “It turns out so many people have suffered from anxiety their whole lives and have always just felt condemned by it, and I love how she has reframed it,” says Jeana. Jeana has donated pizzas before for events and recently held a house party to gain awareness for the organization. Create More, Fear Less creates projects, and then send all the materials needed to a school so that students can complete the work. She donated beads for one of the art projects. “The kids can make bracelets to remind themselves that everything will be OK,” she says. She likes being involved in the community, although she is not affiliated with a congregation at this time. “I identify as a Jew and have my own home practices, my family has kept family traditions, and my sister-in-law was a rabbi,” says Jeana. “We were involved in her life and her work.” David’s sister is Rabbi Marjorie Yudkin. She served as the rabbi for Reform synagogues in Rye, NY, Easton and West Chester, PA, before she passed away on May 8, 2014, after a long and courageous struggle with
OKAY KIT
MEET YOUR WORRY BEAST
Even people who buy my necklaces – it’s me, it’s them, it’s the necklace – they’re trying it, we’re fitting it, talking about it. It’s so fun compared to the serious and difficult-to-penetrate art world.” ~Jeana Edelman
Jeana Edelman; examples of projects made by kids who participate in the Create More, Fear Less program.
Huntington’s Disease. David has lost both his sisters to this disease. Jeana admits that that led to “some really intense complicating factors,” when they were planning their family. Their children are now 23 and 25. When asked if their children will become the third-generation owners of HOTLIPS, Jeana chuckles. “Our son just moved to the Bay area, and they don’t really want to work for their parents, but I keep thinking, ‘Give them a couple of years out there working for other people and then they’ll realize, hey, it’s not so bad.’ ” She does admit that she and David do fantasize about it, although their lawyer tells them there’s a pretty low possibility of it happening. “We do wish,” she says. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen next, but I’m not going to worry about it – that’s for sure.” That’s sage advice that the younger Jeana probably wouldn’t have heeded. For more information on Jeana’s businesses, visit jeanaedelman.com or hotlipspizza.com. OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 33
FOOD
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower on a bed of Green Tahini By Estee Raviv IF YOU ARE OBSESSED with cauliflower as much as I am, you will LOVE this dish! It is perfectly spiced, perfectly roasted and perfectly seasoned. The creaminess of the tahini and the crunchiness of the cauliflower create a fantastic balanced texture.
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INGREDIENTS: 1 head of cauliflower, divided into florets 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil salt
TAHINI: 1/2 cup tahini 1/2 cup cold water 1 bunch of fresh parsley, only the leaves without the stems, washed 1 clove of garlic Juice of 1 lemon salt pepper
READY FOR
PASSOVER? Don’t worry!
DIRECTIONS: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Take a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Take a mixing bowl and add the cauliflower, olive oil, chili flakes, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix well and pour onto the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until golden brown and tender, about 20 minutes (you might need to cover the cauliflower with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning). In the meantime, add to the food processor all the tahini ingredients and blend until smooth. ASSEMBLY: Take a serving plate and pour some of the green tahini to cover the bottom of the plate, next place the roasted cauliflower on top and serve. (Optional: you can drizzle some olive oil on the cauliflower and sprinkle more chili flakes before serving.)
Sign up for our FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD e-newsletter today and receive the special Passover Edition on April 2 with tons of recipes to make your seder a success. Subscribe at: orjewishlife.com/ newsletter-sign-me-up
ORJEWISHLIFE.COM
Estee Raviv is the creator of
Estee’s Kitchen (esteeskitchen.
com) and the author of the Oy
Vey Vegan cookbook. She appears regularly on KATU TV AM
Northwest in Portland, Oregon, doing cooking segments.
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FASHION TRENDS FOR
2020
There were quite a few trends on the runway for 2020. We have chosen a few of our favorites.
CROCHET Not your grandmothers' crochet, but with a whole new shout out to high fashion.
NEON "The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades. I gotta wear shades." ~ Patrick Lee Mac Donald
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VESTS Fashion is taking a vested interest in this retro phenomenon.
FEATHERS Designers flocked to this statement. Fly away, fly away!
WALLPAPER A nod to the bold patterns of the 60's and 70's. FAR OUT!
POLK-A-DOTS Because they just make you happy!
PASTEL LEATHER You know it's spring by these cotton candy colors, yum! OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 37
FRONT & CENTER
LOVE KN TS Jeweler Freida Rothman links her past with her future FREIDA ROTHMAN
By Mala Blomquist Above: The design that began it all; Love Knots
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FREIDA ROTHMAN is a nationally known jewelry designer whose jewelry is sold across the country at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and independently owned jewelry stores. She designs every piece that bears her name and wants the wearer to be reminded of her inner strength when they put on a piece of her jewelry. Her #GRITtoGLAM hashtag on Instagram symbolizes more than just the mantra behind her designs. It’s a nod to the life that her grandparents created, all four Holocaust survivors, when they came to Brooklyn. It’s a lesson that Freida learned young and wants to pass along to her children, “that you can really find beauty anywhere.” REBUILDING “My father started this business close to 40 years ago,” says Freida of the jewelry business that now bears her name, the name of her great grandmother who died three weeks before the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. In fact, it was Baila who encouraged her son to start his jewelry business on her dining room table when he was just 19 years old. As the couple grew older, Aron would sometimes come into the office to hang out, or bag some items, just to get him out of the house and give him something to look forward to. Freida’s maternal grandparents, Gita and Arthur Fisher, met in a displaced persons camp after World War II, and they married while still in Europe. They moved to Israel and lived there for a few years starting in the early ’50s. “My grandmother was a very strong woman (and one day) she said, ‘We need to have some money to raise our family, so I am going to America,’ ” says Freida. “She went by herself. She didn’t speak the language, and she came before my grandfather to Brooklyn to see this place where you could make parnasa (a living).” Gita found work in a clothing factory and settled in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where her only surviving uncle lived and most people spoke her native language of Yiddish. When she was settled, she sent for her husband and four children. She lived in that same apartment, the home where she raised her four children, until she died in 2018. Aron Nussen’s late family, a wife and two children, died at Auschwitz. Baila was in Bergen-Belsen with her mother, Freida. A month before the camp was liberated, Freida died. “She (Baila) would always tell me whenever she saw me, ‘You have the same blue eyes as my mother,’ ” says Freida. “I always feel very honored to have Freida’s name and to carry that legacy, it’s very special to me,” she says. “I speak about my grandparents every single day; I have two huge
pictures of them hanging in my office because they inspire me so much. “I have found that everyone in my office, my team, they have changed because of my grandparents,” admits Freida. “It’s because you realize every day that you can’t complain. You really can’t.” CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE Freida grew up in the jewelry business. “My father would come home with boxes full of jewelry and ask us kids to polybag and help him get these orders out because he was so busy,” she remembers. She launched her own line, “Freida Rothman” in 2013. Freida is an artist, particularly fond of sketching and painting. She had been creating designs for other jewelry designers when her husband, Matt, said, “You realize that you are doing this for everyone else, I think it’s time to do this for yourself.” Freida went to her first trade show with her collection called “Love Knot,” and Nordstrom picked it up and launched it in 25 of its stores. “It was only the second time in the history of the company (Nordstrom),” she says. “They usually start with 5 stores; then they go to 6 , 7 and 10. So that gave me the push, and confidence. I turned to my husband and said, ‘I think we can do this.’ ” Her Brooklyn, NY surroundings inspire her unique designs; drawing from her rich environment, she combines the textures of her neighborhood. In one of her signature pieces, the double-sided pendant necklace, matte gold crisscross details represent the train tracks outside her Brooklyn office in Industry City and the black rhodium surface represents the asphalt surrounding her. In the fall of 2019, Freida was in a meeting with her creative team discussing future lines and trending topics, when someone asked Freida, “Who do you consider an empowered woman?” She thinks for a moment and responds, “For me, it’s always been my grandmothers. I really don’t know anyone else that’s even close to what it means to be an empowered woman.” She decided at that moment that she wanted to start a project honoring survivors. “They are so strong, and they are women to look up,” she says. “They are heroes that live amongst us. Sometimes you get stuck in that fashion cycle, and I attend all the shows and I go everywhere, and I wanted what I do every day to have more meaning to it.” The creative team asked her if she knew any survivors that were still alive. She said, “I do! Give me a couple of minutes.” She called her good friend Judy who has a great aunt and OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 39
Freida's maternal grandparents, Arthur and Gita Fisher.
The family
grandmother who are survivors and live together. Freida has fond memories of these ladies as she would go to Judy’s house on Shabbos and play when she was a girl. After making sure that they were both alive and well, Freida posed her request, “I’m thinking out loud here, I really want to highlight women of strength. I want to highlight your incredible great aunt and grandmother. Would they be willing to do an interview? They can wear my jewelry or not; I just want to give them a platform to tell their story.” “Yes, I want them to do it – they have to do it,” Judy responded before she even asked them. CELEBRATION FOR SURVIVORS Dolly Rabinowitz, the great aunt, agreed, but only if it was OK with the Nachas Health and Family Network, a nonprofit she belongs to that is devoted to social events and support services for the Holocaust survivor community in Brooklyn. Freida reached out to Raizy Horowitz, co-director of Nachas. She remembers being extremely nervous as she began her spiel, “I’m working on this story – it’s fashion, and I know that she’s a survivor. I would love to combine the two where I can use my platform, because I find that fashion doesn’t focus on anything like this – and the story means so much to me.” As Freida took a breath from her story, she was worried about what Raizy’s reaction would be. But her response was, “Absolutely, they must!” She also asked Freida to repeat her name and told her that she recently stayed at her house when she needed a place to stay for Shabbat. Freida explained that she has a special guest area that she lets neighbors use when they have visitors who need a place to stay, and she doesn’t always meet her guests.
“For you, I stayed in your house, of course, I’m going to help you,” says Raizy. “Let’s make this happen.” Raizy then called Dolly and told her that everything was OK. Freida scheduled a photo shoot and interview for the following Wednesday at 92-year-old Dolly’s home, where she lives and cares for her 103-year-old sister, Suzi. Raizy called Freida and asked her if before she went to Dolly and Suzi’s home if she could come to a survivors’ get together to meet some of them and describe what she was doing. Freida went to meet them. “I’m this young girl coming to speak to them about their crazy stories, and I was nervous,” she says. About 30 women were having their lunch and the first thing she says is, “I’m a granddaughter of survivors. So at least they understand I can understand a little – they know where I come from.” They were all very receptive, and many of the women shared their stories with Freida as she made her way around the room. “The first lady, she’s holding my hand, first of all, when they hold your hand you feel something, you feel their strength,” says Freida. “This was a room full of Anne Franks. Each story was more amazing than the next.” Freida left the luncheon and went over to Dolly and Suzi’s house. This was their first time the sisters did a formal interview. “We sit down and we start to the interview with these two incredible women, and they shared their stories – there wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” she remembers. “They were holding hands; they both have the numbers (tattooed) on their arm.” Freida asked Dolly what she would define as her “moment of strength.” She explains that when she was on the death march (a
Shulem Lemmer entertained the group.
Nachas Health & Family Network & Freida Rothman host a Women of Strength luncheon.
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Survivor Judith Teichman
Freida's paternal grandparents Aron and Baila Nussen
forced march of prisoners in which individuals are left to die along the way) with her three sisters, Suzi couldn’t walk anymore. They knew if she fell, she would be shot by the Nazis. The two other sisters carried Suzi on their backs the whole death march because they knew otherwise, that would be the end. They each weighed about 40 pounds, it was cold, it was January, and they carried their sister. “That was my moment,” says Dolly. All three sisters survived. The next day, Freida had an idea. It was almost Hanukkah and she wanted to do a special event – a Women of Strength luncheon. She called Raizy and shared her idea and asked her how many ladies she could bring. “She said, ‘I can get up to 55 survivors to come to this luncheon,’ ” remembers Freida. Freida and her team put together the luncheon in three weeks and held it at their modern, chic office with the Statue of Liberty in the distance. They invited press including The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, NBC, and the Associated Press to interview survivors. She invited Hasidic superstar, Shulem Lemer, and he sang happy songs for them, Yiddish songs like Oyfn Pripitchik, and Hanukkah songs. “My favorite part of that luncheon was when they all got up to dance,” shares Freida. “I didn’t ask them to dance; they just felt it in their hearts, the joy. It was incredible.” People asked her if she was scared to tie her brand to survivors. “At this point, no. Maybe a couple of years back I would have been, but now I want every day to mean something,” says Freida. “I’m doing something good, especially with the rise in anti-Semitism, we have to educate. “The thing is, if not me, then who?” Survivor Anna Obstfeld
Survivor Dolly Rabinowitz
PHOTOS OBSTFELD, RABINOWITZ AND FEINTUCH BY AVITAL CHIZHIK-GOLDSCHMIDT
A MATTER OF PRIDE When Freida was growing up, almost everyone she knew was a grandchild of a Holocaust survivor. Now she travels around the country doing trunk shows (where Freida presents her merchandise to potential customers) and meeting people of all walks of faith. When she first launched her brand, she would not go into detail about her family’s history. She would share that she was a “second-generation jeweler” and leave it at that. “I had a consultant recently that came into my business and he started digging more into who I am, my background, and in passing, I mentioned that all four of my grandparents were survivors,” says Freida. He’s like, ‘Do you tell people that?’ and I’m like, ‘No,’ and he said, ‘Do you understand how powerful it is?’ I understand how powerful it is, but nobody wants to hear it. And he said, ‘I promise you, they do.’ ” Once Freida discovered that sharing her story is a source of inspiration for many, it gave her the courage to tell the stories and be proud of who she is, not to be ashamed. “Recently someone asked me, ‘Are you sure you want to go there,’ and I told them, ‘I’m proud, it’s OK, I’m done hiding.’ This is who I am.” She shares that she has only received the most beautiful, positive feedback since sharing her story – not one negative or anti-Semitic remark. Another beautiful thing is that Freida has discovered through sharing others’ stories that she can embrace her heritage, and there is nothing more empowering than that. To learn more about her jewelry, visit freidarothman.com.
Survivor Itu Lustig
Freida greets survivors
Survivor Lillian Feintuch
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FRONT & CENTER
Three Rabbis Who Shaped a City From left Emanuel Rose, Yonah Geller and Joshua Stampfer. PHOTO COURTESY OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING
B
eginning in the 1950s, when Portland had far fewer coffee shops and most people had never touched a computer, three men arrived, all with the same vocation, to begin work that would impact the lives of thousands of Oregonians. All three would witness, and even play a role in, some of the most significant societal changes of the 1960s through the 1990s from a unique vantage point: they were rabbis, here to lead their congregations into the 21st century. Now, after almost half a century of being at the helm of Portland’s largest synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel, Rabbi Emanuel Rose died February 7, 2020. Shortly before that, Rabbi Joshua Stampfer, rabbi of Congregation Neveh Shalom for forty years, died December 26, 2019. Rabbi Yonah Geller, who led Congregation Shaarie Torah for forty years, died November 15, 2007. Fifteen years ago, OPB interviewed all three men for a documentary about their lives and work. With the passing of all three, they look back on the making of the film, with an eye to their enormous impact in Oregon, and how the world has changed in the last fifteen years. Produced in 2005, OPB’s documentary, “The Three 42
MARCH/APRIL 2020 | OREGON JEWISH LIFE
Rabbis,” examines the extraordinary contributions of these three rabbis to Oregon through education and leadership, weaving in their outreach to other faiths and their numerous civic endeavors. It also confronts the tremendous change and conflict within both the religious and secular world at the time. Through interviews and historical accounts, “The Three Rabbis” tackles the important issues of the era from discrimination, civil rights, feminism, Israel and more. The driving force behind the creation of this project was Gloria Feves Hammer, a Portland educator. She saw this documentary as a tool to help the community embrace diversity by telling the story of the last half-century through the eyes of Jewish people and through the voices of the rabbis that she remembered so vividly. “I am overwhelmed that so much time has passed, and it all seems to have gone by so fast,” says Gloria. I would have to say my friendship with past Federation President Charlie Schiffman, who we lost several years ago, believed in my project from the onset. His guidance and encouragement was a gift.” Gloria’s relationship with the rabbis began when she was
a little girl in the early ’60s living outside Portland. “They were my rabbis,” she says. “We had no extended family, so it felt like they were part of my family.” As life progressed, Gloria always felt that the rabbis were unique. “There was no other place in the United States where three men came from across the country as clergy to the largest populations of Jews in the Reform, Conservative and at that time, Orthodox synagogues. And these men were still on their pulpits almost a half-century later. This was a story that I felt needed to be documented.” The documentary includes excerpts from a two-hour roundtable interview with the rabbis, interviews with the rabbis and their wives, an interview with a young couple who represented the modern face of Judaism and a woman who, at age 97, provided context on the Jewish experience in Portland across the last century. “One of my favorite gifts is the letter Rabbi Stampfer sent,” says Gloria. “He expresses that when I came to him with the idea that he was impressed, but he really felt that it was beyond my reach. He congratulates me and says, ‘All credit to you.’ It makes my heart sing.” The “Three Rabbis” will be shown in early April on Oregon Public Broadcasting.
“The Three Rabbis” Airdates OPB TV: MONDAY April 6 at 9 pm on OPB TV WEDNESDAY April 8 at 2 am (overnight rebroadcast) on OPB TV OPB PLUS
(OPB’s second digital channel Comcast channel 310):
FRIDAY April 10 at 8:30 pm on OPB PLUS SUNDAY April 12 at 1 pm on OPB PLUS MONDAY April 13 at 12:30 am on OPB PLUS (overnight rebroadcast) The program will also be available to watch online on April 6 at watch.opb.org.
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פסח שמח
A SEDER plate for every table
BARBARA SHAW
ETSY ISRAELI JUDAICA
The seder plate is the centerpiece of the Passover table. It holds at least six of the ritual items spoken of during the seder: the zeroah, karpas, maror, chazeret, charoset and beitzah. ZEROAH (SHANK BONE) A roasted lamb shank bone symbolizes the lamb sacrifice made as a special offering the night the ancient Hebrews fled Egypt. A roasted beet may be used as a substitute.
KARPAS (VEGETABLE) Karpas is a green vegetable, usually parsley (though any spring green will do). It represents new growth and the coming of spring.
MAROR AND CHAZERET (BITTER HERBS) Any bitter herb will work, though horseradish is the most common. The herb is meant to bring tears to the eyes and recall the bitterness of slavery. Often romaine lettuce is used as the second bitter herb.
CHAROSET A sweet concoction of apples, nuts, red wine and cinnamon that represents the mortar used by the Hebrew slaves to make bricks.
BEITZAH (EGG) A roasted egg stands in place of one of the sacrificial offerings that would be offered on every holiday (including Passover) when the Temple stood. The roundness of the egg also represents the cycle of life and renewal.
Some Jews add additional items to the seder plate to symbolize modern liberation struggles. The most common new item is an orange, which honors the role of women or gays and lesbians in Jewish life. The orange symbolizes the fruitfulness that these previously marginalized communities bring to Jewish life.
BEATRIZ BALL 44
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ESTER ZVEZDIN KOLBO
TZEFARDEIA
MICHAEL ARAM
JONATHAN ADLER
LAURA COWEN
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ACTIVELY SENIOR
Finally, a pill that could fix the root cause of diabetes
American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day is on March 24. By Abigail Klein Leichman
Concenter BioPharma cofounder and CSO Prof. Mottie Chevion, left, receiving his award from Dr. Zachary Bloomgarden at the World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases in Los Angeles, December 2019.
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O
f the 463 million people in the world with diabetes, up to 95% have type 2 (T2D). In T2D, peripheral tissues – mostly muscles – are resistant to insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas to stabilize blood-sugar levels and enable the body to use and store sugar. Medications available today treat the symptoms and complications of T2D but do not solve the core problem of insulin resistance. Zygosid-50, a drug under development in Israel, could be the first to restore near-normal cellular sensitivity to insulin, without side effects. Concenter BioPharma in Jerusalem is raising funds for clinical trials approved by the FDA based on evidence from earlier testing in animal models for T2D. In December 2019, Concenter Biopharma cofounder and CSO Prof. Mottie (Mordechai) Chevion won first place at the 17th Annual World Congress on Insulin Resistance, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases. “The World Congress attracts the top researchers and clinicians, who understand the problem and the limited solutions available – which aren’t really solutions at all,” says Concenter Biopharma cofounder and CEO Dror Chevion, Mottie’s son. “To receive the award – out of 80 submitted abstracts and six chosen for presentation – is a real vote of confidence in our science and our achievements,” Dror Chevion tells ISRAEL21c. “The people sitting in that conference will be the ones prescribing our drug to patients.” Mottie Chevion developed the nonsteroidal, antiinflammatory Zygosid family of drugs in his lab at Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. “Zygosids work by robustly reducing insulin resistance and normalizing all diabetes-associated parameters to the normal range,” says the professor. “On the molecular level, Zygosid-50 is a potent anti-inflammatory drug that forces an intra-cellular exchange – removal of ‘bad’ free iron with zinc, depositing the zinc ion within the cells.” In 2015, some of the lab staff and their families successfully tried using Zygosid molecules topically for skin conditions including diabetic foot ulcers and psoriasis. They experienced no negative side effects. “My father felt it was inhumane not to try to bring these drugs from the lab to patients. He asked me to join him and take this initiative forward,” says Dror Chevion.
1 in 3 people has diabetes or prediabetes Concenter’s U.S. regulatory consultant, Dr. Susan Alpert, arranged meetings with the FDA in 2017 and 2018 to help determine which indication to focus on. The conclusion was to start with T2D and conduct clinical phase 1 and phase 2a trials in Israel while finalizing a pill formulation and completing preclinical toxicity studies. “One in three people in the world is diabetic or prediabetic,” says Dror Chevion. “The number is expected to reach 700 million by 2045. In the United States, 31 million people suffer from diabetes and 90 million are prediabetic. And the age of people contracting type 2 diabetes is getting younger and younger.” In animal trials, Zygosid-50 restored insulin sensitivity by better than 90%, bringing blood sugar into balance and lowering chronic and systemic inflammation levels. The drug also replenished zinc deficiency. The FDA responded to Concenter’s investigational new drug (IND) application with a request for additional preclinical toxicity studies and more information on the drug’s manufacturing process. “This is a great achievement for a small company,” notes Dror Chevion. “We are working on accommodating those requests and making the final formulation of the drug as a pill. We plan to perform clinical studies here in Israel. Then we will submit another IND application to go to phase 2b, by the end of 2020. We are currently raising funds to do all of that.” Concenter was self-funded until six months ago. The company will launch a $5 million round for its T2D activities during 2020. Concenter BioPharma’s scientific advisory board includes three globally recognized diabetes experts: Dr. Peter Nawroth of Germany, Dr. Ralph DeFronzo from the United States, and Dr. Itamar Raz, chairman of the Israeli Council on Diabetes and the National Diabetes Prevention and Care Plan. “Diabetes is a global epidemic and is expected to grow,” says Dror Chevion. “The estimated cost of treating diabetes per year is over $850 billion. More than 150 companies are developing diagnostics or applications for diabetes, but there are no drugs to treat the actual problem of insulin resistance without side effects. This is what we are doing.” This article is courtesy of ISRAEL21c. OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 47
ISRAEL
How Magen David Adom is protecting Israel’s blood supply By Jay Bycer
“W
hat would happen if the blood supply stopped in Israel?” That is the question that Magen David Adom’s Director of Blood Services, Professor Eliat Shinar, asked several years ago. Dr. Shinar will be coming to address this and other issues pertaining to Israel’s new blood center and its operations on March 30 at 7 pm at Congregation Or Tzion at 16415 N. 90th St. in Scottsdale. The Marcus National Blood Services Center is the first 48
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A rendering of The Marcus National Blood Services Center to be constructed.
underground blood center and will serve as a model and vanguard of future blood center construction around the world. The $130 million center is currently being built with the latest high tech and construction systems to withstand most types of attacks to safeguard Israel’s lifeline of blood supplies. The vast majority of funding for the center is being
Professor Eliat Shinar
Bernie Marcus
provided by the American Friends of Magen David Adom. Magen David Adom’s Director-General Eli Bin, says the move to build a new blood center was driven, in part, by the fact that Israel’s population has roughly doubled since the current facility was built in the 1980s in Ramat Gan, a suburb of Tel Aviv. However, recent events have shown that the nation’s lifeline of blood may be in danger of running low and needs to be protected. In Israel’s last war in 2014, several Hamas rockets landed near Tel Aviv, causing MDA’s blood processing operations to be moved to a bomb shelter, which drastically reduced its ability to supply blood to Israel’s population. “Nowhere in Israel are we immune to rocket attacks now,” Bin says, “forcing us to rethink how we protect the nation’s blood supply.” Protecting the nation’s blood supply has now become one of the largest security issues facing the survival of Israel today. Many people in the United States are unaware that there is only one blood center operated by MDA, which supplies 100% of the blood needs for the IDF and close to 90% of all other blood service needs for the nation. And while the 1950 Magen David Adom laws passed by the Knesset makes MDA responsible for blood services and emergency services for the nation, the majority of its funding comes from Friends’ groups in the United States and around the world. Several years ago, the Marcus family (a co-founder of home improvement retailer Home Depot) from Atlanta, saw this need and contributed more than $25 million to get the project started. Now under construction, MDA hopes to have the center ready for operation in early 2021. The new blood center will be a green complex that is selfsufficient, with its own water, waste, fuel supplies. The center will also have security and lockdown processes, and many other aspects that will ensure its safety, in case of either a natural disaster or war. Additionally, it is accessible to major roads, trains and other transportation systems for
quick access to hospitals and all areas in Israel. The five-story complex is larger than 300,000 square feet and can process and store 500,000 units of blood and 10,000 units of cord blood. The blood will be processed and stored in the three floors below ground, along with processing facilities, labs, and a research and development division. Administrative and logistics activities will be housed on the two floors above ground. “Whether it’s from war, terrorism, or natural disaster, we know there will come a day when our blood supply will play a critical role in saving thousands of lives – beyond the role it plays in our everyday medical emergencies, such as bypass surgery, or victims of car accidents,” states Dr. Shinar. “No matter what the need, we need to be ready, and that begins by protecting our blood supply.” Dr. Shinar came to Magen David Adom in 1988 and became MDA’s director of the Blood Services Division in 1997. She has published more than 80 scientific papers and serves on the International Red Cross’s Health and Community Services Committee. For more information, contact Jay Bycer at 602-751-7701. No reservations are needed to attend the event.
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ISRAEL
LEIB BOLEL Arizona Israel Technology Alliance's CEO coming to Portland to share innovative ideas By Mala Blomquist 50
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LEIB BOLEL is the president and CEO of the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance. He will be in Portland on March 16 to give a talk about “Israel’s Boom in Tech, Venture Capital and Innovation and the Power of the American People.” Lieb will return to Portland on April 2-3 to be a judge at TechfestNW 2020. Arizona Israel Technology Alliance’s mission is to promote and strengthen business, investment, entrepreneurship, technology and trade relations between the technology communities of Arizona and Israel. AITA’s purpose is to increase and support bilateral trade and investment between Arizona and Israel, with each offering resources and opportunities across the technology industry. In November 2019, Governor Doug Ducey announced the opening of Arizona’s first trade and investment office in Israel. This new office in Tel Aviv creates a platform for business in both the United States and Israel to increase international trade and foreign investment opportunities. There are currently 20 Israeli-owned companies operating in Arizona in fields that vary from aerospace and defense to financial services. With more than a decade of experience in the area of new business development, startups, marketing, funding acquisition and general operations management, Leib has been instrumental in building organizations from the ground up. He holds an MBA from Walden University in Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree from Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum College in Israel and he is fluent in both English and Hebrew. Leib is also a venture partner at Grayhawk Capital. Grayhawk Capital provides venture capital to companies located in the Southwest United States and Israel. The sectors for investment include mobile computing, cloud/ SaaS, security, enterprise and application software, business intelligence, healthcare IT and financial. Honored with The Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award in May 2019, Arizona Jewish Life posed some questions to this young entrepreneur.
AZJL: Where did your entrepreneur spirit come from, did your family own a business? LEIB: I first got the entrepreneurial bug when I began selling candy and soda in school. Even at that young age, I always looked for opportunities from a supply and demand mindset. The hustle was rewarding and filling gaps in the “market,” and being of value to consumers is what drove me to think bigger and better. AZJL: You served as a rabbi of Beth El Jacob Synagogue
in Des Moines for six years and doubled the membership. You also co-founded a software company there. How did you transition from rabbi to entrepreneur? LEIB: It wasn’t so much a transition. One of the things that attracted me to becoming a rabbi was the opportunity to maximize what I could contribute to the community. The synagogue I was at was declining prior to our arrival, but I was able to grow the congregation through dedication, personalization and marketing. For the software company, it was about finding value and filling a need. The solution was focused on customer relationship management for nonprofits. It allowed the end user to find nonprofits in real time through geolocations on an interactive globe. AZJL: Were you raised in a religious home in England? LEIB: I was raised in a traditional and observant Jewish home. AZJL: What made you want to study in Israel? LEIB: I am the eighth of nine children. All of my siblings had been to Israel, and I’ve always loved the country as well, so I had a strong desire to study there. I got my undergraduate degree in Judaic studies at OS/Tanenbaum College. AZJL: What is your favorite city/place in Israel? LEIB: From a historical perspective, Jerusalem; for technology and innovation, Tel Aviv. AZJL: Tell me your first impression of Arizona when you came to compete in an Ironman triathlon. LEIB: The Ironman Arizona takes place in November, so of course, the weather was fantastic, and the unique desert landscape was immediately appealing. It was also evident that Arizona was a very welcoming place. People were immediately warm, receptive and wanted to help where they could. AZJL: What have you learned about yourself training for such a grueling race, and does it translate to your work? LEIB: Everything is about incremental goals, about taking one step at a time. The finish line will always be there – it’s about being disciplined and taking calculated steps in the right direction. I always apply the same type of focus in my career. Set goals, be consistent, and take the lessons you learn with you to the next opportunity. AZJL: What made you choose Arizona over other states
offering you leadership opportunities? LEIB: Arizona had a growing ecosystem that I wanted to be a part of. There is a high quality of life here that is also affordable and friendly – a pleasant environment that offers a good Jewish education for my children. It’s also a very open environment for business. AZJL: What made you decide to start Arizona Israel Technology Alliance? LEIB: There were opportunities that were low-hanging and not being capitalized on, and where such an entity could provide tremendous value. This spurred me to organize a one-off event to educate the government, corporations and investors, which ultimately led to the founding of the Arizona Israel Technology Alliance. Since its founding, it has served as a great resource to a crosssection of industries and entities and continues to grow. AZJL: Tell me about some of the Israeli companies that have opened in Arizona with the help of AITA. LEIB: Eviation is a prime example. This electric airplane company founded in Israel will be the first in the world to be cleared by the FAA. They are the Tesla of airplanes with an impressive range of 600 miles at one-third the cost of anything else in the market. Eviation entered a joint venture with world-renowned Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott. The city of Prescott engaged the AITA with initiatives that assisted in Eviation’s opening of its U.S. headquarters in 2018. IMNA Solutions is another great example. It is also founded and based in Israel. IMNA has a focus on patient engagement, specifically for chronic illness patients. AITA helped them discover the vast opportunities in Arizona through introductions and guiding them on infrastructure setup. AZJL: How does the establishment of an Arizona trade office in Israel change the dynamics of business relations? LEIB: This was a monumental step for Arizona. Through state legislators and Arizona’s Governor Doug Ducey we saw opportunities and worked to expand them. Having an Arizona trade office in Israel provides Israeli companies with a government resource that’s able to potentially assist them with incentives and introduce them to networks with the AITA and state of Arizona working hand-in-hand. AZJL: You also volunteer your time, what are some of the organizations you work with and why? LEIB: I have volunteered for Smile Train, a nonprofit OREGON JEWISH LIFE | MARCH/APRIL 2020 51
The Bolel family, Eitan, Zohara, Devorah, Leib, Eli and Yair
focused on underserved countries to help provide surgeries for kids with cleft lips and palates. World Vision, a charity that helps build wells in underdeveloped countries to communities that did not have sanitized water, is another nonprofit that changes thousands of lives. Volunteering for Chai Lifeline, a nonprofit that works with children diagnosed with cancer, and with Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces are other organizations that I have dedicated time to. My mission is to help the community altruistically, but are never-the-less rewarding. AZJL: You’ve been on The Business Journals’ Influencers: Rising Stars and 40 Under 40 lists, how does being so successful so young influence your goals for the future. LEIB: Awards and accolades are nice, but the significance of developing and creating change and value is what motivates me. My goal is to continue to make a difference. My focus is on the AITA continuing to grow and prosper and overseeing the Israeli market for Grayhawk Capital (an Arizona-based venture capital). AZJL: Tell me about how you met your wife, do you have any children?
ISRAEL’S BOOM IN TECH, VENTURE CAPITAL AND INNOVATION AND THE POWER OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHAT Leib will give a talk on the above topic prior to his return to Portland as a judge during TechfestNW on April 2-3 at Portland State University’s Viking Pavilion (techfestnw.com)
We have four children together: Eitan is 9, Yair is 6, Eli is 4 and Zohara is 2. AZJL: What is the best advice you’ve ever received? What’s the worst? LEIB: Best: There’s always a way around challenges, learn to delegate and surround yourself with good and valuable people. Worst: Being encouraged not to pursue something that I really believed in. AZJL: What is your favorite Jewish holiday?
WHEN March 16 at 5 pm
LEIB: Sukkot. I enjoy the change of environment and reflection of the High Holidays, the family and community aspects, which are the nucleus of the Jewish people.
WHERE WeWork 700 SW Fifth Ave. #4000, Portland
LEIB: “Better to do a little substantively than a lot without substance.” -Shulchan Aruch
INFORMATION Free; register at portlandisrael.eventbrite.com 52
LEIB: My wife is Israeli, and she was studying in the UK close to where I lived. I lived in Israel but came back to the UK for Passover. We met, dated and got married in 2007.
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AZJL: Do you have a favorite quote?
AZJL: Other than triathlons, what do you enjoy doing in your downtime? LEIB: Spending time with family, playing piano, guitar and other sports.
LIVING
PR E VIE W S Schechter Spark
Purim Carnival Join the Mittleman JCC at 6651 SW Capitol Hwy., Portland on March 8 from 1 to 4 pm for a costume contest, carnival booths, rock climbing, bounce house, photo booth, craft center, entertainment, and more, celebrating the upcoming holiday of Purim. Bring your costume and your Purim game! Please save your snacks for eating in the designating eating area at the cafe, food and drink are not allowed in the gym. The event is $7/person, with a $28 family max charge. The carnival is held in partnership with Portland Kollel. For more information, visit oregonjcc.org.
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Schechter Spark is a celebration honoring the legacy of Rabbi Joshua and Goldie Stampfer, z”l. The event will consist of a brunch and fundraiser for Camp Solomon Schechter on May 3 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at Congregation Neveh Shalom at 2900 SW Peaceful Lane in Portland. Camp Solomon Schechter has a 65-year tradition of fun, friendship and Jewish education in the Pacific Northwest. The money raised will go to funding transformative, Jewish experiences; providing financial assistance to families who can’t afford camp (and can’t afford to miss camp); updating safety and security measures; hiring Jewish role models, who make it possible for more children of all needs to experience CSS and teaching the future generation to be proud of their Jewish heritage and culture. The Migdal Or Award will also be given out during the event. The award honors Rabbi Joshua and Goldie Stampfer’s, z”l, legacy and commitment to Jewish continuity and camping. A Migdal Or is a beacon of light. The award is given out to remarkable individuals that keep the spark of the Stampfer’s legacy alive and light the way for others to follow. Rabbi Joshua and Goldie Stampfer, z”l, are both the inspiration for the award as well as the first recipients. There is a suggested minimum donation of $180 at the event. Dietary laws will be observed. The event is chaired by Marci Atkins and Sheri Cordova. For more information, visit campschechter.org/spark.
PJA/MJCC Used Book Sale
The Portland Jewish Academy and the Mittleman Jewish Community Center are hosting their annual used book sale. The sale will be held on March 29-31 and hours will be Sunday, March 29 from 10 am-5 pm and Monday, March 30 and Tuesday, March 31 from 8am-7pm in the MJCC Ballroom at 6651 SW Capitol Highway in Portland. The sale is open to everyone. Please be prepared to show identification upon entering the MJCC. For more information, contact pjabooksale@gmail.com.
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StandWithUs Campus Crash Course
Community members are increasingly concerned about the anti-Israel sentiment on college campuses that often spills over into anti-Semitic speech and policies. Experts from the field will explain and discuss: anti-Semitism vs. legitimate criticism of Israel, the evolving face of BDS, and knowing your rights. The event will be held at Congregation Neveh Shalom at 2900 SW Peaceful Lane in Portland on March 18 from 6 to 8:30 pm. The cost to attend is $10 per person for individuals or $15 for families. A delicious kosher dinner will be served at 6pm. For more information, contact Mel Berwin at mberwin@nevehshalom.org.
TechfestNW 2020
Portland International Film Festival The Northwest Film Center will showcase and celebrate its 43rd international and regional storytelling through film. The 10-day festival will take place on March 6-15, at various locations. Some goals of the Portland Inter- national Film Festival are, “to gather film lovers and makers, have people be open to new ways of creative expression, and shine a spotlight on artists who go against the status quo.” Advance Tickets are available daily from noon to 6 pm at The Northwest Film Center at 934 SW Salmon St. in Portland. Advance tickets are avail- able by phone at 503-276-4310. Admission prices are $14 General; $12 Portland Art Museum Members, Students, Seniors; $10 children (12 years and younger); $9 Silver Screen Club Friends, Supporters, and New Wave. Opening Night Film and Party: $25 general; $20 Silver Screen Friends, Supporters, and New Wave. Watch for the Portland Jewish Film Festival, produced by the Northwest Film Center, coming in June. For more information, visit nwfilm.org.
20th Anniversary of Ten Grands
One stage, one night, ten of the most accomplished pianists in the world performing music we all love. From classical and jazz to New Age and contemporary pop, this stellar concert features pieces arranged for ten pianos by brilliant composer and concert pianist Michael Allen Harrison. The event will be held on April 11 at 2 pm at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall at 1037 SW Broadway Ave. (at Main St.) in Portland. Ten Grands has thrilled audiences in sold out concert halls for more than 19 years and at an outdoor venue in the summer called “Ten Grands On The Green." Aweinspiring guest performances from young musical prodigies will astound and delight throughout this enchanting musical feast that is one of the hottest entertainment tickets in the Northwest. Concert proceeds benefit the Snowman Foundation and the Play It Forward Program, which helps bring music education and instruments to organizations that serve disadvantaged youth in the Northwest. Tickets are priced starting at $28. For more information, visit tengrands.com.
TechfestNW 2020 will be held at Portland State University’s Viking Pavilion at 930 SW Hall St. in Portland on April 2-3 from 9 am to 5 pm each day. This year’s conference will highlight industry leaders and community involvement in our region. Hear from thought leaders across industries. Experience workshops and live tech demos. Join the startup pitch festival. And of course, enjoy plenty of opportunity for networking, where entrepreneurs, investors and industry executives meet, mingle and make meaningful connections. Curated speakers bring their stories to the main stage; workshops bolster their messaging with intimate gatherings; parties draw you together to network and mingle; the demo floor boasts the coolest new gadgets and companies hiring or showcasing their services. PitchfestNW runs in conjunction with TechfestNW with registration on April 2-3 starting at 8:30 am. Startups can apply for the opportunity to present their company to a prestigious panel of investors. Accepted startups from around the world gather together for two days of networking, workshops, speakers, and pitches, before the winner is chosen on Friday afternoon. Tickets start at $99 and include entrance to all speaker talks, entrance to PitchfestNW, networking and workshops. For more information, visit techfestnw.com.
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LIVING
FACES & PLACES
HAPPY HOUR – Simi and Chayim
Mishulovin celebrate their monthly happy hour with a couple dozen young professionals.
CAMP BASH – Supporters leaped into BB Camp’s second century
on Feb. 29 at the annual BB Camp Bash. The Bash took place at the new Regency Hyatt Hotel and featured entertainment from the Circus Project. “Thank you to our community for raising over $142,000 for BB Campers.” Pictured Dionne Zacks and Jamie Hogland, BB Camp Bash co-chairs, with Zoltar in the middle (Alex Mansfield).
GAME TIME – Rabbi Eve Posen and Rabbi David Kosak enjoying themselves at PJA night at the Blazers game.
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TIME TO MAKE THE COOKIES – Volunteers are busy making hamantaschen at Congregation Shaarie Torah.
ON STAGE – Michael
Mendelson is featured in “Indecent,” showing at Portland State University as part of Artists Repertory Theater on Tour and produced by Profile Theatre.
TOUR LEADERS – Student educators are now trained in leading tours of core exhibitions at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.
TEAMWORK – Sally Bachman and Stephen Saltzman man the radios for the SW Hills Neighborhood Emergency Team
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