Check out our calendar of public events.
Below the calendar you’ll find a detailed listing of events by date.
EJC presents but also rents our community space as a venue, platform, stage, and convener of organizations representing a wide range of Jewish denominations, connectivity, foci, opinions, beliefs, and engagement. Our role as a host venue does not mean that EJC endorses or agrees with a particular position or event taking place at our facility.
Sunday Afternoon Klez and Jewish Music Jam at EJC
EJC Klezmer Jam
The people have spoken and what they've asked for is a Klezmer jam at Eastside Jewish Commons! Let's have one on a Sunday afternoon. Bring your instruments, sheet music, heart and soul, and don't worry about ability--this is a (facilitated) jam for all. We'll settle in and play for a couple of hours. Once you sign up, materials from the other jams will be sent to you and perhaps even new material! If you have a song to share, please bring it! Also if you play an instrument that is non-concert, i.e. Bb, you'll have to be ready to transpose or make your own versions (don't worry if you don't know what this means; it's mainly for clarinet and trumpet players who read sheet music).
Feel free to eat here (maybe it will start to become a Klezmer brunch), just no pork or shellfish. N.B. this is not a show, so while you might have a family member or two with you this is really not a place to listen to music but rather it’s a place to participate.
Ages. Free, but please consider making a donation at checkout. Register Here
Ukrainian Folk Song Workshop with Darka Dusty
The Portland Folkmusic Society and EJC Present a Ukrainian folk song workshop led by Darka Dusty!
All ages $10 adv/$12 door.
Darka Dusty is a first-generation Ukrainian-American singer-musician born in Detroit and based in Portland. As half of Darka & Slavko, she traveled from the U.S. to Ukrainein 1989 to play at Chervona Ruta, the first independent Ukrainian pop music festival. The duo won “Best International Band” honors and returned to play in that country several times. These days Darka is often seen leading Darka Dusty and the Borshch Beatniks, which performs original songs that include jazz and country influences along with Ukrainian.
For this workshop, she will return to her roots in traditional Ukrainian music, and teach a few of those songs to participants -- including harmonies. “We’re called the singing nation. When you get Ukrainians together you’re going to have three-part harmony,” Darka explained.
The date of this workshop is significant, as it is close to the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine of Feb. 24, 2022. “Ukraine is going through its most upsetting time since WWII,” Dusty said.
Since 1976, Portland FolkMusic Society has been active preserving, presenting and promoting folk music and arts in the greater Portland Oregon area. PFS sponsors song circles, concerts, workshops and retreats – in person and virtual – and helps its members and the whole community pass the word around about folk music events, from old time ballads to sea shanties, from 60’s protest folk to contemporary singer-songwriters.
PFS is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
Sunday Afternoon Klez and Jewish Music Jam at EJC
EJC Klezmer Jam
The people have spoken and what they've asked for is a Klezmer jam at Eastside Jewish Commons! Let's have one on a Sunday afternoon. Bring your instruments, sheet music, heart and soul, and don't worry about ability--this is a (facilitated) jam for all. We'll settle in and play for a couple of hours. Once you sign up, materials from the other jams will be sent to you and perhaps even new material! If you have a song to share, please bring it! Also if you play an instrument that is non-concert, i.e. Bb, you'll have to be ready to transpose or make your own versions (don't worry if you don't know what this means; it's mainly for clarinet and trumpet players who read sheet music).
Feel free to eat here (maybe it will start to become a Klezmer brunch), just no pork or shellfish. N.B. this is not a show, so while you might have a family member or two with you this is really not a place to listen to music but rather it’s a place to participate.
2:30 PM All Ages. Free, but please consider making a donation at checkout.
Made possible in part by the Yiddish Arts and Culture Initiative for Jewish Communities at the Yiddish Book Center.
2:30 PM All Ages. Free, but please consider making a donation at checkout.
Noontime Concert with Hannah DiMo
Join us for our free concert series with top Portland musicians! Pack a lunch or stop by one of the many nearby eateries at NE 24th and Glisan. Bring your food in (no pork or shellfish, please) and come and hear the music!
December caps off our three-month collaboration with PSU’s Jazz Vocal department, bringing the best and brightest future jazz performers to EJC. Come out and support the next generation of Jazz at EJC!
The concerts will feature small ensembles and soloists that are semi-acoustic and always enlivening. The EJC welcomes seniors, parents and kids, students, and all others. What better thing is there to do on a Friday afternoon?!
Hannah DiMo is a versatile artist blending neo-soul, indie rock, and R&B with a touch of jazz sophistication. Inspired by the soulful sounds of Lianne La Havas, Yebba, and the dynamic energy of Beyoncé, Hannah's music is a reflection of her diverse influences. A recent graduate of Portland State University with a degree in Jazz Studies, she has been captivating audiences for 15 years. Her work has gained recognition on local radio, and she is an active collaborator in Portland’s vibrant music scene, contributing to a variety of projects across multiple genres.
Sunday Afternoon Klez and Jewish Music Jam at EJC
EJC Klezmer Jam
The people have spoken and what they've asked for is a Klezmer jam at Eastside Jewish Commons! Let's have one on a Sunday afternoon. Bring your instruments, sheet music, heart and soul, and don't worry about ability--this is a (facilitated) jam for all. We'll settle in and play for a couple of hours. Once you sign up, materials from the other jams will be sent to you and perhaps even new material! If you have a song to share, please bring it! Also if you play an instrument that is non-concert, i.e. Bb, you'll have to be ready to transpose or make your own versions (don't worry if you don't know what this means; it's mainly for clarinet and trumpet players who read sheet music).
Feel free to eat here (maybe it will start to become a Klezmer brunch), just no pork or shellfish. N.B. this is not a show, so while you might have a family member or two with you this is really not a place to listen to music but rather it’s a place to participate.
2 PM All Ages. Free, but please consider making a donation at checkout.
Made possible in part by the Yiddish Arts and Culture Initiative for Jewish Communities at the Yiddish Book Center.
Embodying Sukkot: Harvest Dance
Our ancestors danced to celebrate the abundant harvest joyfully. Join us as we internalize the harvest, feast on our personal and communal triumphs, and prepare for future abundance through reflection, music, and movement. All bodies and abilities are welcome, as movement is based on each individual's unique experiences and needs.
This will be Beverly Whitewolff's second festival dance at the EJC, following the success of her Passover dance last spring, where one participant said "A wonderfully creative way to experience community, self-expression, movement, and fun. Thank you!!"
Intrigued? Come help us make a minyan. For questions, message withinmusicandmovement@gmail.com
$18-$36, sliding scale based on income. Please contact Beverly if financial hardship is a barrier.
Register here
Beverly Whitewolff has led creative movement, dance therapy, and ecstatic dance workshops for BB Camp's Rejewvenation Retreat, Breast Friends, and the Jewish cancer non-profit Sharsheret.
Noontime Concert with Sarah Larsson
Free
Join us for our free concert series with top Portland musicians! Pack a lunch or stop by one of the many pods at 24th and Glisan, bring your food in (no pork or shellfish please) and come and hear the music! The concerts feature small ensembles and soloists that are semi-acoustic and always enlivening. The EJC welcomes seniors, parents and kids, students, and all others. What better thing is there to do on a Friday afternoon?!
Singing Stories (A Yiddish & Ladino Celebration)
A participatory concert/sing-along celebrating Yiddish folksongs and Sephardic folksongs from the Balkans. Folklorist and songstress Sarah Larsson will lead a group sing-along on some favorite songs of Yiddishland and Ladino-speaking communities from the Balkans. Lyrics will be provide, and no Yiddish or Ladino language knowledge required. Larsson is a 2024 recipient of the Minnesota State Arts Board Cultural Expression grant, and has trained with master-singers including Ethel Raim, Michael Alpert, and Flory Jagoda.
Made possible in part by the Yiddish Arts and Culture Initiative for Jewish Communities at the Yiddish Book Center.
Red Thread: Original & Traditional music rooted in Eastern European, Yiddish, and Americana lineage.
A harmony-forward ensemble playing original & traditional music rooted in Eastern European, Yiddish, and Americana lineage.
Sarah Larsson returns to EJC with Red Thread! Red Thread infuses their interpretations of traditional music with a harmonic sensibility rooted in and liberated from classical choral singing, with band members Sarah Larsson, Sophie Javna, Erika Lantz, Julia Hobart, Colleen Bertsch, and McKain Lakey each drawing from years of study with master-artists including Ethel Raim, Michael Alpert, Sam Lee, Dáithí Sproule, and stringband master-artists in Transylvania. With lush harmonies and the tight performance of a family band, Red Thread further unspools the line of folk tradition, merging rich vocal and string arrangements with the stories of real people’s lived experience that are embedded within folk songs.
All Ages, Sliding Scale Admission $18-$24
Sam Reider & The Human Hands: The Golem and Other Tales
The Golem and Other Tales features a through-composed suite of music based on the medieval Jewish legend about a clay man brought to life by a rabbi. In a time of darkness, the rabbi prays for a hero to deliver his community from evil. One night, a mysterious stranger shows up at the rabbi’s door and convinces the rabbi to build a golem. With his assistants, the rabbi gathers clay, sculpts a giant man, and inscribes the word for "truth" on its forehead. At the stroke of midnight, when the final letter is completed, the golem comes to life. The supernatural being performs heroic acts but quickly spins out of control as it yearns to become more and more human. After falling in love with the rabbi’s daughter, the golem is ambushed by its creators, chased and destroyed.
Tickets Here: $20/Advance, $25/Door
All Ages
7:30 PM
Led by accordionist, pianist, and composer Sam Reider, the Human Hands is an innovative collective of acoustic musicians exploring the crossroads of folk, jazz, and classical music from around the world. Reider was featured on NPR Tiny Desk and nominated for a Latin GRAMMY award for his recent duo record with Venezuelan artist Jorge Glem. He has performed, recorded and collaborated with a range of artists including Jon Batiste, Sierra Hull, Laurie Lewis, and Paquito d’Rivera.
In his latest record, The Golem and Other Tales (June 2024), Reider returns to his groundbreaking ensemble, the Human Hands. Irresistible melodies, joyful improvisation and otherworldly sounds collide in what Songlines Magazine has dubbed a "mash-up of the Klezmatics, Quintette du Hot Club de France and the Punch Brothers.” The New York Times calls it “modern folk music with saxophone and accordion.” The group got its start playing late night sessions at well-known dive bars and music venues in Brooklyn. After releasing their debut record, Too Hot to Sleep, in 2018, they toured throughout the US, UK, and Europe appearing at premier venues and festivals like Jazz at Lincoln Center, Celtic Connections, and SFJAZZ. Their concerts have aired on PBS and the BBC.
ESH (אֵשׁ): A Havdalah Rave - A fusion of ritual, global dance music, and Jewish spiritual community!
Join us for ESH (אֵשׁ): A Havdalah Rave - A fusion of ritual, global dance music, and Jewish spiritual community!
A new Portland event-series that calls together anyone in need of embodied, ecstatic, and communal Jewish experiences. Neither a synagogue, nor a club, ESH merges the best of those environments to offer an immersive dance party elevated by Jewish ritual.
ESH:(אֵשׁ) is the Hebrew word for fire, a core element of the Havdalah ritual that transitions us from Shabbat restfulness to weeklong creativity. Saturday night holds its own energy, no longer Shabbat, but not yet a weekday. To embrace & embody this liminal time, DJs Bambi and fCD invite you into a soulful ascent through dance! Weaving together bass, movement, and ritual, ESH seeks to awaken and activate your heart, body, and sense of belonging to one another and the earth. Join us as our bodies sway as one to greet the 3 stars and to mark the moment we say goodbye to the beauty of Shabbat, and pledge to carry its gifts into the week to come!
Schedule: 7:00PM - 8:10PM: Community Dinner (See below) & light music 8:10PM-8:40PM: Community Havdalah Ritual/Ceremony, 8:40PM-9:50PM:fCD (DJ Set), 9:50 PM-11:00PM Bambi (DJ Set)
Event Price: $12 adv/$15 door , 21+
Food & Drinks: $7 Enjoy delicious Mediterranean flavors…Entree of Falafel, Chicken Kabob, Lamb Spiced Pie, Stuffed Grape Leaves… and all the trimmings…Hummus , Lebanese Salad, Tomato Mint Salad. After getting fired up from dancing, our bartenders will be standing by with specialty separdhi-themed cocktails and mocktails!
Event Attire: Ignite & release your elemental-fire! Wear clothing that elevates your vibe…and will allow you to bust out all your dance moves! Festive themed attire encouraged! Think glitter, jumpsuits, sequins or anything that lights up, or catches the light.
The Facilitators/Music:
Bambi is a DJ, educator, and historian of Kabbalah. As a DJ, he plays deep, delicate, sensual global bass music, woven into a soundscape that welcomes bodies into their dance and devotion. At the best of times, Bambi’s sets become sites where sacredness and silliness crash into each other, and the difference between play and prayer dissolves.
fCD mixes traditional beats with modern electronic sounds, creating deep, lush and melodic grooves. Expect it all…Disco deep-cuts from the Mediterranean, Middle East, North Africa & Elsewhere, Ladino-Sacred Prayer, Electro Klezmer, Baltic Groove, Global Funk, Saharan Rhythm & Blues, Turkish Psych-Rock, Darbukkah, Ethiopian Jazz, Brazilian Boogie all with a House-y backbeat. During the 2010's, fCD became renowned for energetic sets and made partygoers dance in the warehouse scene of Brooklyn. He shared the stage with Modern English, Fujiya & Miyagi & Mattie Saifer (The Rapture) featured in Willamette Weeks’ Top 5’ Buzz List, VICE, The New Yorker
Noontime Concert featuring Mike Van Liew
Enjoy our free monthly concert series with top Portland musicians! Pack a lunch or stop by one of the many eateries at NE 24th and Glisan, bring your food in (no pork or shellfish, please) and come hear the music! These concerts are semi-acoustic and always enlivening. What better thing is there to do on a Friday afternoon?!
Mike Van Liew has been working as a musician, composer, arranger, recording artist, and teacher in Portland, Oregon for over 40 years. Originally trained on trumpet, he now plays mostly piano and flute. Mike has collaborated and performed with The Flying Karamazov Brothers, 3 Leg Torso, Do Jump!, Oslund and Company, the Klezmorim, the Portland Marathon, and the Oregon Zoo. These collaborations have led him to perform nationally (including on Broadway) and internationally. He performed with his 8 piece band at the 2017 PDX Jazz Festival. Mike recorded an album of his original songs, Polyglot, in 2005. His most recent project is a collection of 10 Inventions for solo piano.