Food for homeless – page 2 Challah for survivors – page 3 Mikvah Shoshana never closed – page 8 Moving Rabbis – page 10 March 17, 2021 / Nisan 4, 5781 Volume 56, Issue 7 See Marking one year Passover of pandemic life Events March 16, 2020, marks the day that our schools and buildings closed last year, and our lives were and drastically changed by the reality of COVID-19 reaching Oregon. As Resources the soundtrack of the musical “Rent” put it: ~ pages Congregation Beth Israel clergy meet via Zoom using “525,600 minutes, how 6-7 CBI Passover Zoom backgrounds, a collection of which do you measure a year?” can be downloaded at bethisrael-pdx.org/passover. Living according to the Jewish calendar provides us with one Pandemic Passover 2.0 answer to this question. BY DEBORAH MOON who live far away. We measure our year by Passover will be the first major Congregation Shaarie Torah Exec- completing the full cycle Jewish holiday that will be celebrated utive Director Jemi Kostiner Mansfield of holidays and Jewish for the second time under pandemic noticed the same advantage: “Families rituals. Time and our restrictions. and friends from out of town can come need for our community Since Pesach is traditionally home- together on a virtual platform, people and these rituals haven’t stopped in this year, even based, it is perhaps the easiest Jewish who normally wouldn’t be around the though so many of our usual ways of marking these holiday to adapt to our new landscape. seder table.” holy moments have been interrupted. Still, it has been a challenging experi- Shaarie Torah normally hosts a sec- Congregation Neveh Shalom has created a booklet ence for individuals and congregations. ond night seder, but chose to cancel offering four rituals to help mark the past year. But we have learned a lot about the vir- last year and instead tried to match Introducing the rituals, the booklet notes: “As tual world over the past year, and some people up for Zoom seders, offering we approach the milestone of this unique and silver linings have appeared. tips and tricks on leading one. They challenging year, we recognize that this year has People traditionally come together in plan to do the same this year. encompassed deep loss and grief, innovation and large groups of family and friends for Congregation Beth Israel also shifted resilience, as well as joy and hopefulness. In order a seder on the first night of Passover, its holiday focus to virtual experiences. to mark this moment, we invite you to explore the and many congregations offer a com- “Last year, we quickly pivoted our following pages (in booklet) and engage in any of the munity seder on the second night. Last Passover experiences to an online plat- four rituals or blessings that speak to you during the year, Oregon restrictions on gatherings form and held a congregational seder anniversary week of the beginning of the pandemic.” began about three weeks before Pass- for the first time in many years,” says Lighting a yahrtzeit candle to remember a loved one over, disrupting seder plans. Rabbi Rachel Joseph. “It was the early or to recognize the grief we’ve held this year (page 4). Many congregations canceled their days of Zoom when people were still Shehechiyanu blessing: “We are grateful to be here community seders last year. trying to figure out how to be together at this time!” (page 5). Congregation Neveh Shalom, how- – physically distanced but spiritually Rock Garden: Paint or decorate a rock with acryl- ever, moved its in-person community connected. We craved connection, and it ic paint or sharpies with messages of hope, grief, a seder to Zoom with Rabbi Eve Posen was a joy to be together on the screen.” dedication to the memory of someone you lost this as the lead and experienced an incred- Building on last year’s experienc- year or anything that speaks to you (page 6). ible turnout. es, this Passover many organizations Short candlelighting on the Shabbat anniversary of “For the first time since I left home, I and congregations are hosting virtual the pandemic: Friday, March 19, 2021, at 6 pm on was able to have seder with my fami- seders or offering resources so congre- Zoom (page 7). ly across the country AND be present gants can host virtual seders for family The booklet concludes with a pandemic poem by for my congregation here in Portland,” and friends. The Jewish Federation Alicia Jo Rabins entitled “Accidental Monks.” says Rabbi Posen, highlighting one of of Greater Portland has compiled a The booklet was mailed to members of Congre- the key silver linings of virtual life – gation Neveh Shalom, but others are welcome to the ability to “gather” with loved ones See PANDEMIC PESACH, page 6 download the pdf at bit.ly/3rBOYTi. Chef Jenn Louis, cen- ter above, has recruited many volunteers to help cook, collect and deliver food and other essentials to some of the many tent encampments that have sprung up around Port- land as the houseless population has swelled. Former restaurateur cooks for the homeless BY DEBORAH MOON She says basic needs should be a right in Last fall, local chef and cookbook author our wealthy country. Jenn Louis walked into a tent encampment Good Deeds Month Later this spring, a “Good Deeds “I don’t ask their stories – not judging is to see if anyone wanted some sweaters her Month” promotion will feature or- really important,” says Jenn, who adds if boyfriend wanted to give away. ganizations and people such as Jenn people want to talk, she listens “with an “It is one thing to drive by; it is another Louis who are doing good in our com- open heart.” to stand in a camp,” says Jenn. “The next munity. The monthlong promotion Jenn is trying to scale back her deliveries day, I bought beans and rice and took them will give people the opportunity to to two days a week because she needs time a hot meal.” volunteer and help with those efforts. to organize donations, cook and coordinate. Since that first visit in November, Jenn has Good Deeds Day is an annual cel- She also needs time to continue offering gone to tent camps every week to bring the ebration of community volunteer- online cooking classes and consulting with basics to people with no permanent home. ing that takes place on a Sunday with food service businesses. Now she visits about eight to 10 camps two millions of participants around the She says her cooking classes have blos- to four days a week with hot meals, nonper- world doing good together. But this somed into virtual cross-country family ishable food, clothes, warm socks, hygiene year with the increased needs com- gatherings. “I’ve done cooking classes for supplies, sleeping bags, tents, dog food and bined with pandemic restrictions on birthdays or other occasions for families other items that people have requested on gatherings, the Jewish Federation of scattered around the country,” says Jenn. her previous visit. Greater Portland will spotlight indi- “They all get to cook together. It’s really, She has attracted a score of volunteers viduals and organizations doing good really fun.” from Havurah Shalom, where she is a to create a monthlong opportunity for Her third cookbook, published last year, member, Congregation Beth Israel and Good Deeds. reflects her respect for diverse cultures and many individuals concerned with Port- family and regional traditions. Her web- land’s homeless crisis. Donations of food, site says of The Chicken Soup Manifesto: supplies and homemade cookies (a favorite businesses in her life including restaurants “Looking at the world through the lens of in the camps) have rolled in from individ- such as Lincoln and Ray, an Israeli restau- a simple bowl of chicken soup, I share sto- uals and companies. Information on cook- rant she closed in 2018. ries about traditional cooking styles, ingre- ing, volunteering and donating (including “I want all the products to go directly to dients, folklore, family history and more.” an Amazon wish list) is available online at people,” she says. “It makes a lot of differ- Jenn Louis has competed on Bravo’s jennlouis.com/food-for-the-homeless or by ence when you work directly with people. “Top Chef Masters,” was named one of emailing Jenn at [email protected]. It’s all volunteers who work directly with Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs” and was The site also features a list of her partners people.” nominated for a James Beard Award for who regularly donate food and supplies. Some people cook or collect donations. her second cookbook The Book of Greens, Jenn says some people don’t want to donate Some drive a second car to take all the de- which won an International Association of to her effort, because she is not registered liveries Jenn cannot fit in her own car. Culinary Professionals award. Information as a nonprofit, while others like the ability “Our job is to care for people who can’t about her classes and cookbooks on chick- to help so directly. She did not want to start take care of themselves,” says Jenn. “I can’t en soup, greens and pasta are available on another business after having run several save people, but I can provide basic needs.” her website, jennlouis.com. 2 Jewish Review March 17, 2021 Challah orders spread cheer to survivors, others BY JENN DIRECTOR KNUDSEN Challahman Rich How many loaves of challah did the fol- Meyer brings a bin lowing ingredients make? of challah loaves to 750 pounds of flour Janet Menashe to 85 pounds of sugar deliver to Kehil- 70 dozen eggs lah residents.