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INSIDE the Eastside Is a Happening Place

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INSIDE the Eastside Is a Happening Place INSIDE MJCC returns as Jewish community's living room – page 2 101-year-old Frieda Cohen to receive Nemer Award – page 2 July 21, 2021 / Av 12, 5781 Volume 56, Issue 16 From Ethiopia to Israel to international The eastside is a happening place art fame – page 3 BY DEBORAH MOON Jewish options are multiply- Song of Miriam honors ing on Portland’s eastside in volunteers – page 4 the Eastside Jewish Commons’ beautiful, airy new home con- Portlander to coach veniently located on Sandy Maccabiah masters' Boulevard. – page 5 “Our goal is to offer space to basketball the community at low cost … (to enable) lots of different fla- Shaarie Torah annual vors for Jewish life,” says EJC meeting – page 5 Board Chair Mia Birk. Congregation Shir Tik- New Faces at CSP vah, the leaseholder for the – page 6 13,000-square-foot space, and JFGP moved into a suite of four of- Young campers enjoy B’nai B’rith Camp’s first eastside day camp fices off the entry vestibule at July 12-16. The new Eastside Jewish Commons will be home for Michael Jeser 2420 NE Sandy Blvd. on May many community programs, including two more weeks of BB Day honored – page 6 1 and held its first full Shabbat Camp Eastside Aug. 2-6 and Aug. 9-13. service and activities June 26. Principal transition at In July, as COVID restrictions “The energy in the Com- July 6. “From giving tours Maimonides – page 7 lifted and the new executive di- mons this first week has been to interested community or- rector came on board, EJC and amazing,” says Cara Abrams, ganizations and individuals, its partners began presenting who began her position as to connecting with Jewish Kesser Israel unveils bigger activities. EJC Executive Director on See EJC, page 10 expansion – page 9 Dignity Grows hosts Hand in Hand models coexistence bat mitzvah – page 9 BY DEBORAH MOON A bilingual, multicultural school Community Chaplain in Israel cofounded by a Portland native has become a model of coex- Cohen says we need istence in a time when that approach mensches – page 12 is in short supply. Founded with one school in Jeru- In face of Tisha B'Av salem, Hand in Hand now has seven violence, compromise schools throughout Israel, with more than 2,000 students ages 3 to 18. Stu- required – page 13 dents learn both Hebrew and Arabic from Jewish and Arab co-teachers. Jobs Board: Tivnu, “Hand in Hand is a model of co- PJ Library, CSP existence – a model people can see – page 14 The Hand in Hand alumni network has created a revolutionary works,” says cofounder Lee Gordon. “It’s going to take more than Hand in web series called Mish Mish. In each episode, alumni hosts – page 14 Noa and Juman explore pop culture, art, music and cultur- Hand for reconciliation, (but) we are Birth: Rohr al identity across Israel. Learn something new and be chal- part of that process to bring people lenged a bit in each new episode. Check out all the episodes at together.” Obituaries: Blumstein, handinhandk12.org/mish-mish-episodes/. See HAND IN HAND, page 8 Nechemia – page 14 MJCC reopens as “living room of community” BY DEBORAH MOON about-us/cafe-at-the-j), which The Mittleman Jewish Com- expects to resume serving food munity Center is poised to inside around the time Portland reclaim its title as the “living Jewish Academy students return room of the Jewish commu- to campus Aug. 31. Until then, nity” as the lobby reopens, the Café will continue to offer in-person classes resume and kosher meals to go for Shabbat sports options expand. and holidays. And owner Allen But as COVID restrictions Levin continues to offer kosher, have been relaxed, the MJCC plant-based meals at Garbonzos moves forward into a new food cart in the MJCC parking normal drawing on the lessons lot. (Those attending events learned during 16 months of such as concerts and films at the pandemic existence. The J has Zidell Yards on the South Water- The lobby at ther Mittleman Jewish Community Center is starting to received several grants to up- front also can enjoy Garbonzos’ feel like the community's living room once again. grade the ballroom to facilitate falafel, veggie kofta made from hybrid events. Hybrid events Beyond Burger, grilled vegeta- allow those outside the metro ble plates, and a variety of sal- area or those unable to come ads and dips). to the J to attend virtually the On July 12, guests were once many community events held again welcomed to the center, in the ballroom during normal and guest passes to use the years. Fitness classes, Hebrew pools and fitness facilities be- conversation and knitting club came available. That week, an continue to have online options. array of in-person programs “The pandemic has allowed us began meeting in the lobby. to leverage technology to serve Canasta and Mah Jongg classes a larger area – we are the only began in person. More classes JCC in the state,” says MJCC and cultural programs will be Executive Director Steve Albert. Basketball players have returned to the MJCC gym for drop-in added in the coming weeks. “It is another tool in the toolbox games and practice 11 am-1 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The “Shabbat table” in the lob- to serve the community.” expanded hours and programs Members can now use the pool by once again features infor- The center posts updates on on the page reflect both the cen- without reservations and can mation from local synagogues open hours, programs and ter’s ability to hire necessary reserve racquetball courts and to help people find a place to guidelines on its website at or- staff and assumes that the state basketball courts during open celebrate Shabbat. Other tables egonjcc.org/we-are-open. The or city will not need to re-im- hours. MJCC day camps and feature MJCC program infor- webpage notes: “A great deal pose COVID restrictions. specialty camps presented by mation, local resources and will be changing at the MJCC Drop-in basketball has re- the Skyhawks are meeting in publications, including printed in the coming weeks as we turned to the J’s gym to bring the J’s Sportsplex and in the copies of the Jewish Review. gradually reopen facilities and friends and strangers together gym. Adult and youth soc- Bulletin boards hold communi- resume programs and services. three days a week for physical cer leagues, which met in the ty announcements. Our reopening will take place activity and camaraderie, just spring, will return in full force All of which gives the space in stages, and we’ve included one of the ways recreation is in the fall season. the renewed feeling of a com- an overview of these phases.” returning to the J as we emerge Also set to return by fall is the fortable and inviting living Steve notes that the dates for from the global pandemic. Café at the J (oregonjcc.org/ room. Frieda Cohen to receive Nemer Award on 101st birthday Congregation Shaarie Torah Cohen, award presentation by It’s been a tradition.” Men’s Club will present the Steph Kotkins and awardee re- Frieda’s father and mother Harry R. Nemer Service Award marks by Frieda. came to Portland from Russia in to Frieda Cohen on her 101st An article that ran in a 2014 1909 and joined Shaarie Torah. birthday. The 10 am, July 25, Shaarie Torah Bulletin includ- Frieda’s recollections of grow- event will be on Zoom. ed several quotes from Frieda: ing up in the Jewish enclave in This event was originally “I’ve been associated with South Portland are included in planned for 2020 on Frieda’s Shaarie Torah so long that ev- We Lived There, Too and The Frieda Cohen and son, Richard. 100th birthday but was post- erything about it is a part of me. Jews of Oregon, 1850-1950. poned due to the pandemic. It’s like being home. Shaarie Frieda and her late husband, joined the business. The event will include a mu- Torah has been an intrinsic part Ben, started an automotive To register for the Zoom link, sical piece by Michael Allen of our lives. I want Shaarie To- supply business more than 70 email [email protected]. Harrison, remarks from Rabbi rah to continue for many more years ago. Frieda continued The event will livestream on Joshua Rose and Rabbi Arthur generations. My family has al- to work there until she was 98 Shaarie Torah’s website shaa- Zuckerman, a family history ways felt that you need to take and her son, Richard, and three rietorah.org/stream/, Facebook at Shaarie Torah with Rick care of what’s important to you. of her four grandsons also and YouTube channel. 2 Jewish Review July 21, 2021 30 years after Operation Solomon, a painting stirs memories of rescue BY DEBORAH MOON Thirty years ago, Steve “Rosy” Rosenberg was board president of the Jewish Feder- ation of Greater Portland as Federations worldwide raised millions of dollars to help Nirit Takele, left, was only 6 years old airlift nearly 15,000 Jews from Ethiopia to when she was one of 14,300 Ethiopian Israel. Jews who were airlifted on 35 aircrafts This month, he and his wife, Ellen Lip- from Addis Ababa (Ethiopia’s capital) to pman, hosted one of those evacuees for Israel in less than 36 hours. Steve "Rosy" Shabbat dinner in Tel Aviv. Rosenberg, who was board president of “Nirit, who came to Shabbat dinner by Portland's Jewish Federation at the time, us this month, was 6 years old when she recently purchased one of Nirit's paintings.
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