Timeline of East Side Jewish Gatherings, Organizations, and Events

  • 2019: Yes Kippur

    Alternative Yom Kippur Service at an East Side Yoga studio. Led by Yasha Shapiro, Sara Figueroa, and Eleyna Fugman. 

  • 2018-now: Social Justice Shabbat Book Club

    Created by Colleen Dixon.

  • 2018-2019: Alt Shabbat

    Alternative Shabbat morning services. Focusing on music and an informal shortened Shabbat morning services. Started by Ilana & Jonathan Cloud Strunin, and Rhonda Abrams. 

  • 2018-now: Niggun Collective

    Group meets on the East Side to sing Jewish nigguns created by Joey Weisenberg and others. 

  • 2018-now: The Portland Jewish Yoga Collective

    A place for Jewish people of all affiliations to connect through the practice of yoga. Run by Rachel Stern. 

  • 2018-now: TischPDX

    An incubator of new Jewish ideas and Jewish spiritual creativity on Portland’s East Side. Started by Eleyna Fugman and Rabbi Ariel Stone. 

  • 2018-now: Nosh and Kvetch Queer Yiddish Club

    Founded by Micah Giardina, and others. Regular Sunday afternoon meetings. Collaboration with Yiddish speakers at Kol Shalom. 

  • 2018-now: Sukkat Shalom

    Founders Kit Wolff and Nathan Grusinger, east siders. Farm and retreat center. Hosts Jewish events. 

  • 2018-now: At the well circles

    Rosh Chodesh circle that meets on the East Side each month for those who identify as womxn. A space to come together to connect with fellow Jews around spirituality, health and wellness, and ritual. 

  • 2017-now: Jewish on the Margins (& Queer Mikvah)

    Run by Brooke Adams. JOTM creates meaningful events centered around Jewish holidays and traditions, that draw out the people on the edges of our community. Our events serve people who are searching for their own form of Judaism, one that is meaningful to them, in ways that they can use in their daily lives or in ways that give them energy for their daily lives.

  • 2017-now: Alberta Shul

    Group of East Side lay leaders tries to buy an old historical synagogue building in N Portland. Becomes a community organization that hosts holiday and Shabbat events. 

  • 2016-now: East Side Jewish Commons

    Group of leaders from throughout Portland seek to create a space for Jewish organizations to practice and hold events on the East Side. 

  • 2015-now: Neshir Neshama

  • 2015-2017: Mikdash Jewish Community

    Created by Rabbi Nate DeGroot. The Mikdash Facebook group is still in use here. A grassroots cooperative Jewish community incubator for creativity, spirituality, and culture. Mikdash used the Tivnu house during the summers between 2015-2017. There were lively Shabbat services, yoga, meditation, and other member led classes, retreats, and more. Based on Portland’s east side, Mikdash supported and empowered folks to generously share their "gifts"—their skills, passions, talents and interests—with one another, to help facilitate the growth of meaningful community. 

  • 2015-2016: Tuv Ha'artez

    Jewish farm box program delivers fresh CSA boxes to over 100 member families around Portland, with Shabbat & holiday boxes, and hosting Shabbats and other events. 

  • 2016-2017: SURJ Jews Caucus formed

    Jewish, white-anti racist group that met monthly. 

  • 2016-now: Unshul

    Started by Rabbi Deborah Kolodny. Events on both the East and West side, weekly and monthly. 

  • 2015-now: Leikam Brewing

    First Kosher brewery in Oregon. Opened their first location in 2019 in the North Tabor neighborhood. 

  • 2015: Tree of Life Montessori Opens

    Jewish Preschool in the Laurelhurst neighborhood. 

  • 2013-now: Shalom Cascadia

    A weekly communal Shabbat service and dinner at a home on the East Side. Also owns a piece of land in Puget Sound where summer camps will happen.

  • 2012: Special community survey conducted

    Survey found that East Side Jews identified overwhelmingly as cultural rather than religious.

  • 2011-now: Rosh Hashanah in the Woods

    Founded by Lori Ann Burd and Josh Lake. It is a yearly event where participants go into the woods together for a second day Rosh Hashanah service. Usually on Mt. Hood. 

  • 2011-now: PDX Queer Jews Facebook Page

    Started by Devorah Polack. A good home base for people who have just moved to town looking for connections and Shabbat dinners. 

  • 2011-2017: Mizrach

    Neveh Shalom East Side group doing Friday night services and gatherings. Run by many including Tamar Whyte-Lake. 

  • 2010: Seders hosted by Yasha

    Liberation Seders. 

  • 2011: Moishe House moves to East Side

  • 2009-2012: Hamishe Shteeb

    Friday night young adult services potluck. Run by Jacob Rosebloom, Liza Negalev, and David Zenaty. 

  • 2007-2011: The Shemas

    Run by Annie Rose Shapiro, Ruthie Gerson, and Eleyna Fugman. Shabbat potluck, monthly and Passover Seders. 

  • 2009: EJCoP becomes East Side Kehillah

    Ran by R.D. Kaminsky

  • 2008: Jewish Theater Collaborative Launched

    Created by Sacha Reich. Located on the east side. Provided both touring and mainstage productions of Jewish-themed shows.

  • 2007: Latkes & Vodkas

    Unknown event

  • 2007: Chabad comes to the east side

    They now have 2 houses, one at Reed and one in Hollywood neighborhood. 

  • 2006: Machar launched

    Created by Sarah Liebman, Machar reached out to young Jewish adults to provide Jewish education and and leadership training. Served east side and west side. 

  • 2005-2016: Sivalaya Break-fast

    A group that met yearly to celebrate and come together around Yom Kippur break-fast. 

  • 2005: Portland Jewish Events launched

    Organization founded by Jodi Berris. Hosted pub crawls, sports leagues, holiday parties for young adult Jews.

  • 2005-2007: The gay seder

    In a church basement on Sandy. 

  • 2002: Shir Tikvah opens

    Unaffiliated East Side Shul led by Rabbi Ariel Stone 

  • 1998: The East Side Minyan

  • 1992: EJCoP formed

    First organizing meeting, 1992. Chairman Jim Hilton. Published the Eastside Voice. Mostly held secular and cultural activities. First Shabbat service in 1997. Become Eastside Kehilla in 2009.

  • 1984: P'nai Or Renewal Congregation founded

    First services at SE Community Center. Services were led by Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield.

  • 1952 Congregation Tifereth Israel sells building to Mt. Sinai Church

    ADL and other locals rally to support the sale, which is met with opposition from neighborhood

  • 1914 Congregation Tifereth Israel acquires first building

    First building is at NE 20th and NE Going. Also called "The Alberta Shul."

  • 1911 Congregation Tifereth Israel founded

    First services held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gerson Sherman