2-year-old Kollel celebrates unity
By Kaplan Tuttlebaum
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In just two short years, the Portland Kollel has taken flight. Now, say founding members Tzvi and Esther Fischer, it’s time to celebrate—and they’re inviting everyone to join the party.
The Kollel, a community education and outreach organization, will hold its “First Annual Dinner” on Tuesday, June 3, at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. Billed as “A Celebration of Jewish Unity,” it honors Lisa Horowitz, chief executive officer of both Portland Jewish Academy and the MJCC, and Jeffrey and Mahri Weitz, longtime community activists.
“Lisa is always thinking ‘community’ and ‘unity,’ which is why so many things she’s involved in are so successful,” Rabbi Fischer said of Horowitz, with whom he’s worked closely since his arrival in Portland to lead the Kollel. “She is involved completely—as a community member and as an individual, in addition to being a tremendous professional.”
Horowitz will receive the Kollel’s “Etz Chaim,” or “Tree of Life” award at the event, recognizing her work with the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, Gesher, Havurah Shalom, PJA, the MJCC and other organizations.
The Kollel is dedicating its “Encyclopedia of Visionaries of Jewish Unity” book to the Weitzes in appreciation of their extensive community involvement. Mahri Weitz has worked with Federation and PJA in many areas, and Jeffrey Weitz has offered his expertise in construction and development services and as a board member to many congregations and community groups. He also is a founding member and chairman of the Kollel’s advisory board.
“He has been instrumental in helping us move forward,” Fischer said.
And the Kollel has indeed moved forward since its opening in May 2006. The six full-time and two associate Kollel members:
• put on an average of 15 separate community programs a month;
• have taught more than 200 community classes in topics ranging from medical and legal ethics to social justice and Jewish prayer;
• sponsored more than a dozen special speakers on everything from parenting advice to mysticism;
• hosted several major Shabbatons, including two landmark camping trips in the foothills of the Coast Range that each drew more than 100 participants from throughout the Northwest;
• met individually or in small groups with hundreds of people in office study sessions, Talmud classes for middle-schoolers, advanced Hebrew classes for teenage girls, and regular visits with seniors at Cedar Sinai Park; and
• work with up to 300 teens throughout the metro area through existing groups, including BBYO, the Jewish Student Union and Portland NCSY (National Conference of Synagogue Youth).
In addition, the Kollel partnered with the MJCC for two zany Purim carnivals, hosted visiting musicians, and organized a wacky “talent show” and Hanukkah party for women (in which the Kollel’s Meira Spivak demonstrated how to make—and bake—a cake in under two minutes).
“They are very community-oriented,” Horowitz says of Fischer and Rabbi Chanan Spivak, the Kollel’s director of outreach, with whom she works most closely. “They are a delight to work with. And they’ve really added to the richness of the Portland Jewish community.”
They sometimes take people by surprise, she said, because of their quick wit and love of wordplay, which can seem at odds with their “serious” dark business suits. “Oftentimes,” she said, “I’m laughing so much that other people in the office pop in to see what’s going on.”
Weitz, who has been studying with Spivak for more than a year, says Kollel members “bring a refreshing and rich cultural and educational resource to Portland that is normally only found in larger cities in America. Mahri and I are committed to doing what we can to keep them here and help them to prosper.”
Others on the Kollel’s advisory board are Sharon Stern, Tod Northman, Steve Bloom, and Spivak (ex-officio). The Executive Board members are Rabbi Avrohom David, head of the Seattle Kollel, and Rabbi Yehuda Bressler and Steven Gestetner, both of Seattle.
Fischer said Rabbi David, who had been doing outreach programming in Oregon cities for more than a decade, was instrumental in establishing the Portland Kollel, with the aim of expanding Jewish education and other opportunities “for all ages and all levels.” Seed money for the Portland group came from The Ghermezian family foundation and the Wolfson family foundation, the latter facilitated through Torah U’Mesorah.
What does the Kollel do that’s different from other Portland organizations?
“We’re not a synagogue; we don’t do services as such,” says Fischer. “We focus on Jewish education, for all levels and all ages. And we try to provide opportunities for many different experiences, informal and formal—we’re a resource not just for Jewish learning, but for Jewish living, too.”
Another important part of the Kollel’s work, he said, is with other community organizations, helping them to stay strong and grow. About half of all Kollel members’ teaching hours are spent working with JSU, NCSY and other youth and young adult groups, the MJCC, local and other Oregon congregations, and seniors at Cedar Sinai Park.
“It’s a tribute to the community that we’ve been able to become so involved,” Fischer said. “We have really been welcomed here.”
Fischer added that the Kollel also is a frequent first stop for many unaffiliated people looking for a connection to the Jewish community. “We make ourselves available in a down-to-earth, non-judgmental way,” he said. “And we’re proud that people have felt welcome and comfortable.”
Charles Schiffman, the executive vice president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, agreed with Horowitz and Weitz that the Kollel is a welcome addition to the Portland Jewish community.
“They’ve added a new dimension of Torah study possibility for people,” says Schiffman, who learns each week with Spivak. “And, on another dimension, they’re brought energetic, outgoing leaders and role models who enrich our community simply by being here.”
Reservations for the dinner, $54 per person, may be made by calling the Kollel, 503-245-5420, or through the Kollel Web site, www.portlandkollel.org. The deadine is May 27. Event and table sponsorships are available.
Full-time members:
Tzvi Fischer, Kollel Director
• Oversees all Kollel operations, teaches an advanced Hebrew class for teenage girls, teaches at the MJCC, the Kollel, Congregation Shaarie Torah and other synagogues, and meets regularly with people involved in individual study.
Esther Fischer
• Studies with individuals, operates a day care program, organizes social and holiday events, and runs the Kollel’s summer children’s programs.
Chanan Spivak, Director of Outreach and Teen Programming
• Studies with individuals, leads a class for teenage boys, conducts classes at Shaarie Torah and other synagogues, also helps with Jewish Student Union and Portland NCSY, and often brings his guitar.
Meira Spivak
• Advisor for NCSY, the Jewish Student Union (expanded local clubs from one at Wilson to six other area high schools), and the Bnai Brith Youth Organization; occasionally leads aerobics or kickboxing classes and will be coaching in the Junior Maccabi games this summer.
Menachem Berzon, Resident Scholar
• Meets with more than a dozen individuals weekly for one-on-one learning, teaches classes, lectures, organizes a Thursday “hevruta” group study session, and organizes music and other programs.
Chavi Berzon
• Organizes social and holiday activities and other programs, including the Kollel’s upcoming Camp Wilkerson Shabbaton over the July 4 weekend.
Associate Members:
Zalman & Simi Krems, Oregon Kosher supervision, out-of-town programming
• Oversees operations of the Oregon K kosher label, which assures kashrut at the Café at the J; the Oregon K also recently certified Kettleman’s Bagels and Mallorie’s Dairy (for Cholov Yisrael milk), and works with many other local companies. Rabbi and Simi Krems also serve the Ahavas Torah congregation in Eugene and work with other small congregations.
Kenneth Brodkin, Rabbi of Congregation Kesser Israel
• Leads services and classes at Kesser Israel, often collaborates in Kollel programming.