Exclusive updates for our donors and supporters from PJA May 2013 – Iyar/Sivan 5773

PORTLAND JEWISH ACADEMYAt the Schnitzer Family Campus Think for yourself. Work for the world.

A Journey through Generations: The Heirlooms and Artifacts Project By Sam Rosenfield, 5th Grade

On Tuesday April 23, 2013, I joined my fifth grade classmates, along with our teachers, parents, friends, and loved ones, at the Oregon Jewish Museum (OJM) to celebrate the opening of a special exhibit we call A Journey through Generations. The exhibit is the culmination of our unit, Heirlooms & Artifacts, which focuses on a family (or honorary friend’s) immigration story. In order to prepare for the exhibit, we interviewed our subject or family members who still remember our subject’s story; we wrote lots of beautiful poetry and a narrative; and we designed three spectacular panels using collage to showcase our subject’s origins, journey, and establishing a new home. To celebrate our hard work, we had a gala at the OJM to share our work with our family and friends. I was happy to see everyone dressed up and looking fancy, excited, and ready to honor our family and friends.

Before the gala, my classmates told me how nervous they were about presenting their poem and singing our four songs: Tumbalalaika, Those Were the Days, Oyfn Pripetchik, and I Am Your Child. I think my classmates and I did a great job of reading our poems and singing those beautiful songs.

After the gala, I caught up with a couple of students and asked them to tell me one thing they enjoyed about the night:“Everyone was so happy and supportive,” Olivia said.“Giving gratitude felt great!” exclaimed Isabella.Abraham and Rishon both agreed that their favorite part was the food!

After interviewing some students, I had to find the one who made the project possible. Luckily, I found her!“Everything flowed beautifully! You all made me so proud,” the amazing Ms. Harriet Wingard said.

All in all, it was a memorable night, and to top it off, outside there was a beautiful, almost-full moon. I overheard Sam and Orly commenting that this could be their “moon memory” moment for their moon journals! April 23 was a spectacular night to spend together with the amazing fifth grade stars of PJA.

This project is about having a look in the past so that in the future, the story can be told and can continue living on in other people’s minds. If we honor someone with the chance at living again through our words, it’s worth it. ~ Julia

This project is about finding your meaning and why you are here today. It’s about discovering your ancestors, their story, and the sacrifices they made to get to America. ~ Zach

This project is about going through old family files to find an immigration story; painting a lifetime; listening; and recording a memory for your own children. ~ Basia

Guests enjoy seeing family artifacts at the OJM.

5th grader Abigail Brown shows off her panels and poem at the OJM.

ROOTS & RAFTERSPlanting the Seeds for a Sustainable Future

The Roots & Rafters campaign is a pivotal milestone in the advancement of the Schnitzer Family Campus.It will complete renovations, make cost effective advances to infrastructure and implement crucial technological changes. We envision a campus where we can all do more for our children, for ourselves, and for each other.

Current PJA Parents Gail Mandel and Steve Klein Have Committed to Roots & Rafters

“The decision to donate to the Roots & Rafters Campaign was easy for us. Our son, Eli, is thriving at PJA and we see the school and the campus as a whole as a vital part of our daily life. PJA students are so fortunate to be able take advantage of the Center’s wonderful facilities. It’s all at their fingertips.

Our family wants to help finish the job of revitalizing the MJCC that was started by generous community members in years past in order to sustain the school and the MJCC for generations to come. We want to do our part. We hope that all PJA families will join us in supporting Roots & Rafters. Together we can all make a difference.” - Gail Mandel and Steve Klein

Roots & Rafters Pledges as of March 12, 2013. While we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this list, if you note any inaccuracies,

please let us know right away. We want to acknowledge your generosity!

$100,000 AnonymousLois Schnitzer

$50,000-$99,999Bob and Rita PhilipGayle and Paul RomainSandra Schnitzer

$18,000-$49,999Bill FrankHolzman Foundation, Inc.Larry and Joyce MendelsohnNathan FamilyNorma Rosenberg and Lee, Nancy and Noa RosenbergDavid and Diane RosencrantzJerry and Bunny SadisSaltzman FamilyMardi and Tom SpitzerTom and Mary Jane Stern

$7,200-$17,999Abrams FamilyEdy and Dr. Michael DorsenJill and Richard EdelsonJonathan and Sarah GlassLisa and Lewis HorowitzEric and Anna KodeschLora and Jim MeyerJoel Mullin and Sheri KatzHoward S. PaleyIrving and Arlene PotterStan and Madelle Rosenfeld Family FoundationShlachter Family Fund of the OJCFKen and Mary Unkeles

$5,000-$7,199Anonymous(2)Barry and Karla BensonBrian Carleton and Caron KushnerJosh and Amy FrankelJohn and Beth GermainMerrill and Perry HendinSheldon Klapper and Sue Hickey

Tony and Priscilla KostinerMartin and Marsha MehrMark NewRaymond and Dorothy PackouzRenaissance Foundation/Irving Levin & Stephanie FowlerStephen and Becki SaltzmanDon and Ione SpearMark and Mindy Zeitzer

$2,500-$4,999Peter and Leslie BeardMilton and Cissi Carl Fund of the OJCFJosh and Amy FrankelNancy and Jack FruchtengartenLauren GoldsteinGail Mandel and Steven KleinRalph and Sandi MillerChantal and Eli RosenthalKyle RotenbergSharon UngerleiderLorry and Vicky WassermanKen and Jennifer ZeidmanPaul and Sandi Zimmerman

Gail with her son Eli

ROOTS & RAFTERSPlanting the Seeds for a Sustainable Future

$1,000-$2,499Anonymous (3)John and Carol ArnsbergJames BarashStacy BarnaJosh and Marielena BlankMarc and Sarah BlattnerStan and Judy BlauerIan BurnsHoward and Linda DavisMatthew FeltonDavid FormanElaine Friedman and Robert LiebmanGeffen MesherThomas and Linda GeorgesBob and Lesley GlasgowJonathan and Sarah GlassGersham and Pauline GoldsteinJulie and Cliff HockleyJustin HorowitzRonald and Ruth KatonNikki & Yoshio Kurosaki and Stuart & Marcia WeissShirlee LenskeJordana and Ryan LevenickDavid and Ronnie MalkaStanley and Susan MarcusWalter McMoniesMark and Marcia MeyerBrad NydahlDouglas ObletzMichael Olds and Gloria Borg OldsPruzan FoundationErik Richmond and Annette DemseyJustin and Alison RosenfeldRobert and Ann SacksChuck and Sally SidesGary and Linda SingerAnn and Howard SohnKen and Mary UnkelesWeidenweber Family Fund of the OJCFJeffrey and Lynn WolfstoneCharlene Zidell

$999 and belowAnonymous (3)Yoram and Leslie ArielJeffrey and Roz BabenerJeremy BabenerAshlea and Rick BardeJonathan and Bonnie BargAvraham and Ella Ben-ZakenGabriel and Phyllis BergDoug and Amy BlauerMichael and Tami BoardmanOra Botwinick and Bruce Goldberg

Timothy P. BoyleWilliam Brenner and Julia WacoRabbi Michael and Cantor Ida Rae CahanaRobert Calo and Elizabeth LamadeNorm and Kathy ChusidReena and Stuart DavisKathy Davis-Weiner and Michael WeinerBecky DeCessaroTom and Julie DiamondSerge D’RovencourtMiles and Robyn EllenbyBecky and Greg EwerJoel FishmanNoma Floom and David MarcusKaren Smith GeonSimon GottheinerDave and Cheri GrothAbby Guyer and Eric PeetJacob and Jaimie HarperRick and Catherine HartochFred and Sara HarwinMarjorie and Jathan JanoveTony and Cindy KaplanRabbi Michael and Mira KaplanMichael KapnickDavid KarlinGerald KarpLisa Katon and Noah KresselAmy and Jeff KatzTara KinatederEllen and Peter KleinCharles KobinMichelle and Loren KoplanRobin and Eric KornblitSteph KotkinsAl and Rosanne LeviRoger and Betsy MandelJennifer May and Steven GelsiMark and Marcia MeyerPatrick MoynahanTheodore NetzkySimon NewmanJeff, Anne, Josh & Sol NudelmanRobert and Kandis NunnLarry and Jane O’GlasserBarbara PalmerPeter and Nina PirogovskyBryan PowellStephen PressBrad Raefi schKen and Mary RaitScott Rector and Rachel BloomBert and Laurie RogowayRosen FamilyLiane and Gavin RosenbergEric and Tiffany Rosenfeld

Alan and Eve RosenfeldFrancis X. Rosica and Sara T. BehrmanStan and Pam RotenbergSura RubensteinKelly RussellErika SaiersGaye and Bruce SchaferGail and Mark ShermanRon ShutzDavid and Cantor Barbara SladerJohn SmalldonLes and Martha SolteszMarshal Spector and Shari LevinsonMarsha Spellman and Adam HaasHarley and Robyn SpringDan and Barbara SteinfeldManny Tailblum and Jane SchindlerPeter Thackon and Lynn TaylorAllison VictorMichael Volk and Patty Magid-VolkSteve Wasserstrom and Judith MarglesRichard L. WeilGreg WilliamsBrian and Laurie YablonRabbi and Mrs. Arthur Zuckerman

Please consider joining Gail and Steve, along with the many donors listed above who have already helped us raise $2.5 million towards a $3.5 million goal by supporting Roots & Rafters.

With a matching challenge grant from the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, your gift will be doubled!

For more information, please visit our website www.rootsandrafters.org or contact Jennifer Baldwin, Director of Development, at jbaldwin@pjaproud.org or 503.535.3594.

The Impact of the 8th Grade Israel TripBy Hannah Glass, 8th Grade

If you ask any PJA eighth grader how their Israel trip was, they will probably say that it was the best two weeks of their lives. On the fi rst day of our trip our tour guide Philip said to us, “We are not in Disneyland, we are in Israel. Even though we are going to have a lot of fun, we are learning about the culture and history of Israel.” Th e point is this trip is incredibly fun, but it’s not just a class trip that could be to any place, it is really the culmination of our Jewish learning at PJA and the beginning of the rest of our Jewish lives.

We did so many things in Israel that we had never done before. We got to be spontaneous, learn for ourselves and as a group. We went to shuks (marketplaces) in Tel Aviv; we went on hikes in the Golan; we saw a double rainbow on a bike ride in the Hula Valley; we went to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum; we saw a sunrise over the desert; we hiked up Masada; and we even rode camels. We also went to a place called Neveh Michael for children who need a place to live while their families are going through hard times. At Neveh Michael we spoke Hebrew and played soccer with kids our ages and younger. It was so amazing to use our Hebrew skills that many of us have been learning since we were in kindergarten.

A really meaningful experience for us was staying in Jerusalem for four days. We really got to see and experience the connection that Jews have to Jerusalem. You can feel the history of all our ancestors walking on the same streets we were walking on. In Jerusalem we went to HaKotel Hama’aravi (the Western Wall). It was really special for some 8th graders to see it for the fi rst time and just as special for 8th graders like me to see it again. What was really special about the Kotel for me was the variety of people praying. It didn’t really matter who was who, everyone was in their own thoughts. It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had in my life.

Th is trip really was a life changing experience. Being in a place where I felt so connected to the people and so comfortable being Jewish is a truly unique feeling one gets in Israel. Not only did I learn a lot of history and Hebrew words, I also had the most fun ever with my best friends in the world.

PJA Student Earns Recognition at National Poetry Contest

Congratulations to 8th grader Gabi Cohen! And her writing instructor Harriet Wingard! Gabi’s poem, “Autumn” won First Honorable Mention by the Manningham Trust Student Poetry Contest, administered and judged

by the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. We are so proud of her accomplishment of earning the rank of fourth in the country in her age group!

Autumn

AutumnThe word whispers

Down the cracked asphalt.It hides in the crooked shadow of the trees,

But everywhere it lurks, the leaves turn bright,Awash with scarlet and lemon,

Lovely flames that lick the woodAnd melt away to those tissue paper skeletons.

I would collect them by the hundredsIf only they didn’t turn to dust

Within the day, like leprechaun’s gold.The cold metal chime of autumn

Settles into flesh and mind and bones.The tintinnabulation calls the birds to the sky.

In preparation for the winter, they fleeAnd the sun is cold like an empty smileOr pulls away, aloof behind the clouds

And turns its back,So that the last harvest

Of the tiny fig tree, alone in my backyardCannot offer even its half dozen fruit

And even though the final traces of summer are fadingRight outside the door,

And all I can think about is those sadMinute green figs,

Cold and hard and bitter,Exposed to the season’s chill

Their demise decreed byAutumn

PJA Celebrates Grandfriends Day on May 24 Grandfriends Day is a great opportunity for PJA students to share a morning or an afternoon with a grandparent or special friend. The children are always excited to show off what they are doing in school and the visitors enjoy seeing the exceptional children in their lives thriving and learning in such a positive atmosphere.

This year we will have an all school assembly which will include a talent show and Kabbalat Shabbat, followed by time in the classroom. If you are interested in participating in Grandfriends Day, please contact Jennifer Baldwin at 503.535.3594 or jbaldwin@pjaproud.org. It is a great way to see your donations in action!

Join us for Portland Jewish Academy/Hillel Academy’s Annual

Alumn i & F r iendsSpaghett i D inner

Sunday, June 9, 2013, 5:00 pm Spaghetti dinner, raffle & children’s activities

at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center

Tickets: $18 adults in advance/$25 at the door $8 children 4-12 in advance/$10 at the door

Register online, at the PJA office or by mail. Questions: 503.535.3539 or alumni@pjaproud.org

It’s Kosher with meat and vegetarian options.

Register Now! www.pjaproud.org/spaghetti

Everyone Welcome!

Alumnus Profile - Joseph Warton PJA Class of 2012

Joseph Warton began his academic career at Portland Jewish Academy as a kindergartner and graduated from 8th grade in 2012. Joseph is currently attending Beaverton High School and is excelling academically. He reports that “My favorite subjects are definitely math and science, which were taught wonderfully and extensively while I was at PJA.” Joseph adds, “Best of all, PJA taught me how to think and learn for myself, and how to get help when I need it from teachers.” PJA prides itself on developing these types of critical life skills that will serve students well for the rest of their lives.

Joseph also remembers fondly the more social and spiritual experiences at PJA. He cites having the same classmates over such a long period of time helped him build strong and lasting relationships with his peers. Additionally, the special Middle School field trips to Outdoor School and Ashland left strong impressions on him. And of the Israel trip, Joseph says “Going to Israel especially was a life-changing experience, emotionally and spiritually.”

Joseph also recalls fondly the support and encouragement that he received from his PJA teachers as he pursued his primary non-academic passion – ballet. In particular, Harriet Wingard was one of the teachers who encouraged his ballet training and inspired him to be a better writer. Joseph has been dancing for as long as he can remember. For him, it is both a way to express himself artistically and an excellent physical challenge that has taught him discipline.

In fact, based on Joseph’s performance as a part of the Oregon Ballet Theatre School’s recital, he was recently heralded as a dancer with “with a maturity beyond his years and experience, and was a knockout … his pirouettes precise, centered and finished, his joy in the dancing both palpable and infectious” by Oregon Arts Watch. Joseph plans to move to San Francisco in a year to continue his ballet training at the prestigious San Francisco Ballet School.

“One of the reasons I moved to Portland was … the weather.”

True! Plus she had friends, enjoyed the food and community, and was ready to leave El Paso, Texas, where she was born. Of course, she loves to visit Texas, where her parents and siblings still live – all of them teachers or nurses.

Celinda started teaching in Oregon at the North Clackamas school district in a half day Kindergarten. But Celinda is a big proponent of full day Kindergarten, and when she saw a position open up at PJA, she did her research on the school, and lucky for all of us, she has now been teaching at PJA for 9 years.

Celinda is also the Program Director for PJA’s popular Summer Discovery, which features creative, engaging weekly classes, open to everyone, ages 4 – 6th grade.

Currently, Celinda is attending George Fox University to obtain her Master’s in Teaching, with a Reading and Learning Specialist endorsement.

Celinda loves the sense of community here at PJA – with students and parents, and the camaraderie she has with PJA faculty. “They’re high-quality teachers, and friends, too.” This year’s 8th graders were in Celinda’s first Kindergarten class here at PJA!

Outside of school, Celinda loves to golf – something she shares with her fellow PJA Kindergarten teacher, Tara Cozad. The two teachers work together on the Kindergarten curriculum and joint projects, and are close friends as well. Celinda also loves to sew and knit, and her hobby has found its way to one of her signature projects with Kindergarteners – making dolls and book bags as gifts for children in Africa.

“I want my students to have meaningful, and memorable experiences from Kindergarten.” (Both Kindergartens do two plays a year, ‘Hershel and the Hanukah Goblins’, and ‘Peter Rabbit – the Musical,’ plus other amazing projects.)

We are so glad that Celinda is here at PJA, one half of the team that makes Kindergarten at PJA truly memorable.

Celinda Llanez – General Curriculum, Kindergarten

We are PJA proud of our teachers and alumni!

Joseph is pictured above as the Nutcracker Prince from 2008.

Supported bySpecial thanks to the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland and our community for their support of the students and teachers of PJA.

PJA • 6651 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219 • 503.244.0126 • www.pjaproud.org

Upcoming EventsWe would love to have you join us at any of the upcoming special events at PJA. Please let Jennifer Baldwin, Director of Development, know that you would like to attend by calling 503.535.3594 or emailing her at jbaldwin@pjaproud.org

Kindergarten: Peter Rabbit the MusicalTh ursday, May 23 at 7:00 pm MJCC Ballroom

Grandfriends DayFriday, May 24 (throughout the day) PJA

1st grade: Siddur CeremonyWednesday, June 5 at 6:30 pm MJCC Ballroom

PJA Alumni Spaghetti Dinner Sunday, June 9 at 5:00 pm MJCC Ballroom

8th grade: GraduationTh ursday, June 13 at 7:00 pm MJCC Ballroom