EJC Daytime Klezmer Jam

Longtime EJC Klez Jammer, Sharon Hennessy has stepped past her role of stalwart accordionist and has organized the next EJC Klezmer Jam. Repertoire and more info here. If you’d like to come please contact Sharon

The demand for connection is up and the Jewish Business Owner’s forum is meeting again.

Meet the co-hosts:

Eric Singer from Your Future In Franchises. Eric is a Business Broker assisting business owners with the valuation and sale of their business.

Victoria Genovker from Vic's Consulting. Victoria’s focus is on improving day-to-day and long term operations to enable businesses and projects to scale.

Victoria and I will be co-sponsoring the upcoming meeting to continue discovering the pressing needs of our Jewish Business Owners community.

Bring your expertise, experience and your hopes for the future as we sit together for an hour of conversation, snacks and to further define the Jewish Business Owner’s Forum.

Free but please register

About the Presenter

Eric Singer
Growing up in Los Angeles, I discovered an early love of numbers and a natural ability for sales.

In my twenties, and after meeting my wife in Israel, we relocated to New Mexico and later to Portland, where together for over 27 years, we built and operated a successful honor snack vending business, growing it into the largest vending company in the Pacific Northwest, and the oldest continually running honor snack vending business in the country.

After selling the business in 2010, I pursued and studied other passions including dance and hypnotherapy, before finding my way to business brokerage in 2016.

I enjoy the diversity of the individuals that I have known and had the opportunity to work with in my years as a vendor and currently as a business broker. Today, I find satisfaction connecting with other business owners and helping them navigate the process of valuation, marketing, and successfully selling their companies.

Victoria Genovker

Born and raised in Russia, my family relocated to the US where I finished high school and then a obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s in Computer Science.

After 20+ years of leading critical projects of various sizes in the corporate world working for the Fortune Top 100 companies, I have decided to dare myself to apply my expertise and experience in a completely foreign to me realm of small to medium business.

Since 2024, I have been working with various businesses to improve their operations, customer and employee interactions, new feature offerings, legal protection, and more to position the business for rapid growth and development.

I have been very excited to find out that there is a lot of transferable skill between leading a project in the corporate world and positioning a business to grow and am very much looking forward to more success stories!

Hanukkah in a New Light: A Lunch & Learn Series

How did an ancient holiday about cultural uprising become a defining celebration of American Jewish life? Beginning in the weeks leading up to Hanukkah and concluding during the holiday itself, this series invites you to deepen your relationship to the Festival of Lights. Join Dr. Yosef Rosen, the Director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, for a four-session exploration of Hanukkah’s surprising history, evolving rituals, and spiritual possibilities. We’ll investigate its relationship to Christmas and the winter solstice, uncover the history of dreidel play, explore the controversies surrounding public menorah lighting, and unpack how American Jews have transformed the holiday over the past century. Come for fresh perspectives, lively conversation, and a deeper understanding of a familiar holiday. Lunch is provided. All are welcome, and no prior knowledge is needed!

Eastside Jewish Commons

Thursdays: November 5 & 12 and December 3 & 10, 2026

11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

$36 Please note you must sign up for ALL four sessions (no drop-ins). TICKETS HERE

EJC And TischPDX is excited to announce its upcoming exhibition featuring the graphic novel anthology Hyphen: Jewish Stories In Our Own Words. Panels in the exhibit explore Jewish identity and the power of storytelling when building an inclusive Jewish community. This opening reception will offer attendees to enjoy refreshments, and explore the full exhibit. The exhibition is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 10AM-2PM, during EJC events or by appointment. The show runs through December 21st.

Free/All Ages Registration Requested

About Hyphen

What do a Laot­ian born refugee, a Yemenite film­mak­er, an Ethiopi­an-Israeli edu­ca­tor, a Jew­panese pod­cast­er, and a Lat­inx sto­ry­teller have in com­mon? They are all Jew­ish, and their mul­ti­cul­tur­al, unique jour­neys are part of Hyphen, a slice-of-life comics anthol­o­gy show­cas­ing extra­or­di­nary Jew­ish sto­ries of every­day peo­ple and cel­e­brat­ing Jew­ish diversity.

The community celebration of Sigd is back at EJC, by popular demand! Join us for the celebration of the Jewish Ethiopian community holiday - Sigd. Sigd is a Jewish holiday that was preserved by Ethiopian Jews for centuries. It centers on the idea of accepting the Torah and yearning for Israel and Jerusalem. The holiday serves as another, more public layer beyond the private introspection of Yom Kippur.

This will be a community celebration! We will learn few Ethiopian dances eat Ethiopian food and participate in the traditional coffee ceremony.

All ages/$10 person (This event has limited attendance so be sure to get your tickets sooner rather than later).Tickets Here.

“Throughout this rich, complex and haunting novel, Horn reminds us that our world poses constant threats to the artist and to art, to the individual and the creative spirit.” - Susann Cokal, The New York Times

A stolen painting. A child prodigy. Jewish life in Soviet Russia. The World to Come weaves all this and more together with Yiddish language, mourning, and folktales. Join fellow seniors (and future seniors) to discuss this “engrossing adventure” by three-time winner of the National Jewish Book Award Dara Horn. Published in 2006, Horn’s second novel propelled her into the spotlight and raised her profile as one of the most important contemporary Jewish novelists.

EJC Reads — our monthly book club for seniors — meets on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 11am-noon at EJC. Free. No RSVP required. Snacks & drinks provided.

EJC Daytime Klezmer Jam

Longtime EJC Klez Jammer, Sharon Hennessy has stepped past her role of stalwart accordionist and has organized the next EJC Klezmer Jam. Repertoire and more info here. If you’d like to come please contact Sharon.

Hanukkah in a New Light: A Lunch & Learn Series

How did an ancient holiday about cultural uprising become a defining celebration of American Jewish life? Beginning in the weeks leading up to Hanukkah and concluding during the holiday itself, this series invites you to deepen your relationship to the Festival of Lights. Join Dr. Yosef Rosen, the Director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, for a four-session exploration of Hanukkah’s surprising history, evolving rituals, and spiritual possibilities. We’ll investigate its relationship to Christmas and the winter solstice, uncover the history of dreidel play, explore the controversies surrounding public menorah lighting, and unpack how American Jews have transformed the holiday over the past century. Come for fresh perspectives, lively conversation, and a deeper understanding of a familiar holiday. Lunch is provided. All are welcome, and no prior knowledge is needed!

Eastside Jewish Commons

Thursdays: November 5 & 12 and December 3 & 10, 2026

11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

$36 Please note you must sign up for ALL four sessions (no drop-ins). TICKETS HERE

Community member David Rutiezer invites all singers and their friends to come and sing at EJC at our monthly vocal jazz jam! Patrick Carr on piano! This will be a fun, supportive space to belt out your favorite show tunes, jazz standards, folk songs, or country western songs accompanied by a professional pianist. Bring sheet music in your key or iRealPro charts, or fake charts. Listeners also welcome.

All ages, free, but tip your pianist! Registration Requested.

David Rutiezer sings and plays keyboard and ukulele, has a background in music therapy, has performed in nursing homes, memory care communities, and rehabilitation centers, and released a music album for children, The Kid in Me, in November 2014. He’s performed and taught Israeli and International folk dancing for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds across the Pacific Northwest.

Patrick Carr

Patrick Carr was born and raised in a musical family in Nashville, Tennessee. He studied jazz at the University of North Texas, where he taught and directed medium and large ensembles as a teaching fellow. He now lives in Portland, Oregon where he performs regularly with Ron Steen, the Rivkah Ross quartet, and many other local jazz musicians.

See Jane Run, An Indo Story is a solo memoir play written and performed by Dr. Jane Vogel Mantiri and directed by Andrés Alcalá.

Step into the powerful, true story of an Indo (Indonesian-European) refugee child who grows up to reclaim her voice, her history, and her joy. In this intimate, one‑woman show, Jane traces her journey from wartime displacement and family silence to healing, humor, and hard‑won hope, inviting audiences to consider what it really means to belong. There will be a brief talkback after the show.

All Ages $15-$20/person sliding Scale. TICKETS HERE.

See Jane Run is a riveting, raw, and funny refugee immigrant story about the flawed pursuit of the American Dream. Jane takes audiences on a fast-paced and eye-opening journey from her homeland in Indonesia to the United States. Papa tells Jane, “We will all be happy in America. I promise!” As the family flees danger, the trauma and secrets of the past follow them, and their odyssey is filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Watch this Short Video about the production.

Dr. Jane Vogel Mantiri is a retired trauma psychologist, acclaimed Portland actor, social justice activist, and founder of AGE: Advance Gender and Equity in the Arts. Acting credits include Children’s Hour, Speech and Debate, Clean House, and Fred’s Mom in Portlandia. She founded Advance Gender Equity in the Arts (AGE), a Portland-based social justice arts organization created to empower artists who have been marginalized because of gender, age, and race. Jane was awarded the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award by her alma mater, Carroll University. Drawing on a lifetime of advocacy and artistry, she brings the “American Indo Dream” to life with raw honesty, warmth, and unexpected laughter.

Andrés Alcalá is a national award winning actor, director, educator, and teaching artist. He has performed in numerous theaters including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland Center Stage, Artist Repertory Theatre, Northwest Children's Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Phoenix Theatre, as well as six years as an associate artist with Childsplay. He has performed in two National Tours, and directed and performed as Ferdinand the Bull on the National Tour. Andrés holds a BFA in acting from Southern Oregon University. He has spent the last 15 years developing his skills as an animation and projection designer for theatre. In addition to being a multi-hypenate artist, Andrés enjoys living life on the road, and spending as much time with his immediate family as possible. He is choosing to focus on artistic work that has a heart.

EJC presents its annual Hanukkah Night Market!

Nosh, sip, dance, mingle, shop. We’ll have plenty of seating for eating and schmoozing and wonderful gift items. Vendors and products include: Henry Higgins, Kachka (Vodka), Babka, Photographs, Cards and Art work, Judaica, Jewelry, Clothing and more! Live Klezmer Music!

Free childcare provided in our kids’ room for potty-trained kiddos 4+!

Free/All Ages! No Registration Required

Zev Feldman tells a story that when he spoke to a Moscow radio producer in the 70s he said that they couldn’t play Moldavian music on the radio because it was too Jewish! I spent two years in Romania on a Fulbright grant (and many years after) trying to understand how Moldavian and Jewish music influenced each other. So what’s the secret? Two highly professionalized musical clans— Roma Lautari and Jewish klezmorim—playing on each other’s gigs to service the jumble of ethnic and social groups in early twentieth century Bessarabia. This workshop will present some of the musical discoveries I’ve made on this journey — klezmer tunes flipped on their head to suit fast Moldavian dances, khosidls drafted into Christian wedding rituals, and Moldavian dance tunes that would feel right at home at a Jewish wedding today.

Tunes will be taught by ear and with sheet music in various clefs. All ages and instruments are welcome.

All Ages $18/Person, Tickets Here

Christina Crowder is an accordionist with thirty years of experience as a researcher, performer and educator in klezmer music and Asheknazic expressive culture.

Christina is the Executive Director of the Klezmer Institute, a digital-first organization founded to support Ashkenazic expressive culture through research, teaching, publishing, and programming. The Institute’s flagship projects, the Klezmer Archive Project (KA), and the Kiselof-Makonovetsky Digital Manuscript Project (KMDMP), have been awarded three grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Coming to EJC this December!

December 3, 10, 17 from 9:30-10:15 am

More info and registration at bb-360.org/lev-el-lev

Grandparents, join us with your grandbabies (ages 0-5) for Lev el Lev (Heart to Heart), a joyful intergenerational music program! Lev el Lev brings generations together through Jewish song, movement, and hands-on music—sparking connection, wonder, and joy. Led by Kim Schneiderman, BB360 Chief Jewish Life Officer, each 45-minute class features warm-up songs, finger plays, creative movement, instrument exploration, and beautiful singing. From Hebrew rhymes and Yiddish tunes to contemporary Jewish melodies and beloved classics, families will explore Jewish music and meaning—together, heart to heart. This program is made possible with funding from Robison Foundation for Jewish Elders.

Hanukkah in a New Light: A Lunch & Learn Series

How did an ancient holiday about cultural uprising become a defining celebration of American Jewish life? Beginning in the weeks leading up to Hanukkah and concluding during the holiday itself, this series invites you to deepen your relationship to the Festival of Lights. Join Dr. Yosef Rosen, the Director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, for a four-session exploration of Hanukkah’s surprising history, evolving rituals, and spiritual possibilities. We’ll investigate its relationship to Christmas and the winter solstice, uncover the history of dreidel play, explore the controversies surrounding public menorah lighting, and unpack how American Jews have transformed the holiday over the past century. Come for fresh perspectives, lively conversation, and a deeper understanding of a familiar holiday. Lunch is provided. All are welcome, and no prior knowledge is needed!

Eastside Jewish Commons

Thursdays: November 5 & 12 and December 3 & 10, 2026

11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

$36 Please note you must sign up for ALL four sessions (no drop-ins). TICKETS HERE

Rosh Chodesh Dance: A monthly women's dance gathering

Rejoice. Release. Reconnect. Revive.

Welcome the new month with music, movement, joy, and community. Through reflection, connection, song, and dance, we'll create a space to let go of what weighs us down, celebrate our successes, and derive inspiration from Jewish tradition. There are no steps to learn; this guided program allows all participants to move freely in any way that's cathartic, expressive, restorative, or just plain fun. Come as you are- all bodies, abilities, and religious backgrounds are welcome- and leave feeling fully alive. No prior dance or movement experience is necessary.

Beverly Whitewolff has been leading movement workshops for breast cancer survivors and the EJC since 2021. See why participants have said, "By the time the first song was over, I felt renewed."

Each Session is from 4-6PM

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED (no walk-ups)

$18-$36, sliding scale based on income. Please contact Beverly if financial hardship is a barrier. Registration Required

withinmusicandmovement@gmail.com

“Music has an unique ability to uplift and transform, while movement encourages a release of tension and fosters connection with our bodies. Beverly creates a powerful synergy that can inspire individuals to embrace their journey with courage." (Sharsheret, 2025)

“Intelligent, thoughtful, gracefully written and original.” - Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post

What could be more appropriate for a Jewish book club than a book titled People of the Book! Join fellow seniors (and future seniors) for our sixth meeting of EJC Reads as we discuss Pulitzer Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks’ 2008 historical novel. Based in part on a true story, this “tour de force” (San Francisco Chronicle) traces the journey of the Sarajevo Haggadah into the hands of an Australian rare-book expert. Hidden within the binding, a series of tiny artifacts, reveals the book’s storied history and the lengths people will go to save a work of art.

EJC Reads — our monthly book club for seniors — meets on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 11am-noon at EJC. Free. No RSVP required. Snacks & drinks provided.

Celebrate Hanukkah with games, great food, menorah lighting, raffle prizes & community fun—all for a great cause!

Light Up the Night! 🕎

3rd Annual Hanukkah Party at The People's Courts

Join us for our 3rd Annual Hanukkah Party benefiting Eastside Jewish Commons! We're bringing our community together for an evening of games, delicious food, holiday traditions, and plenty of fun—all while supporting a wonderful local organization.

Whether you're a pickleball regular or have never picked up a paddle, everyone is welcome! Bring your friends, gather your family, and celebrate with us.

TICKETS HERE!

Your Ticket Includes:

• 🏓 Pickleball, Cornhole, Bocce & Ping Pong – Play your favorites or try something new!

• 🍽️ Food Included – Enjoy delicious food while you celebrate.

• 🕎 Menorah Lighting – Come together for this special Hanukkah tradition.

• 🎲 Dreidel & More – A little friendly competition and holiday fun!

• 🎟️ Raffle Prizes – Enter for a chance to win some great prizes!

Event Details

Wednesday, December 9, 2026

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

The People's Courts

2700 NE 82nd Ave., Portland, OR

Celebrate Community. Support a Great Cause.

We're proud to partner with Eastside Jewish Commons for the third year to bring people together in celebration of Hanukkah.

Come for the games, stay for the community, and help us make this year's celebration our best yet!

Everyone is welcome. We can't wait to celebrate with you!

Coming to EJC this December!

December 3, 10, 17 from 9:30-10:15 am

More info and registration at bb-360.org/lev-el-lev

Grandparents, join us with your grandbabies (ages 0-5) for Lev el Lev (Heart to Heart), a joyful intergenerational music program! Lev el Lev brings generations together through Jewish song, movement, and hands-on music—sparking connection, wonder, and joy. Led by Kim Schneiderman, BB360 Chief Jewish Life Officer, each 45-minute class features warm-up songs, finger plays, creative movement, instrument exploration, and beautiful singing. From Hebrew rhymes and Yiddish tunes to contemporary Jewish melodies and beloved classics, families will explore Jewish music and meaning—together, heart to heart. This program is made possible with funding from Robison Foundation for Jewish Elders.

Hanukkah in a New Light: A Lunch & Learn Series

How did an ancient holiday about cultural uprising become a defining celebration of American Jewish life? Beginning in the weeks leading up to Hanukkah and concluding during the holiday itself, this series invites you to deepen your relationship to the Festival of Lights. Join Dr. Yosef Rosen, the Director of Jewish Life and Learning at the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, for a four-session exploration of Hanukkah’s surprising history, evolving rituals, and spiritual possibilities. We’ll investigate its relationship to Christmas and the winter solstice, uncover the history of dreidel play, explore the controversies surrounding public menorah lighting, and unpack how American Jews have transformed the holiday over the past century. Come for fresh perspectives, lively conversation, and a deeper understanding of a familiar holiday. Lunch is provided. All are welcome, and no prior knowledge is needed!

Eastside Jewish Commons

Thursdays: November 5 & 12 and December 3 & 10, 2026

11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

$36 Please note you must sign up for ALL four sessions (no drop-ins). TICKETS HERE

Coming to EJC this December!

December 3, 10, 17 from 9:30-10:15 am

More info and registration at bb-360.org/lev-el-lev

Grandparents, join us with your grandbabies (ages 0-5) for Lev el Lev (Heart to Heart), a joyful intergenerational music program! Lev el Lev brings generations together through Jewish song, movement, and hands-on music—sparking connection, wonder, and joy. Led by Kim Schneiderman, BB360 Chief Jewish Life Officer, each 45-minute class features warm-up songs, finger plays, creative movement, instrument exploration, and beautiful singing. From Hebrew rhymes and Yiddish tunes to contemporary Jewish melodies and beloved classics, families will explore Jewish music and meaning—together, heart to heart. This program is made possible with funding from Robison Foundation for Jewish Elders.