Both Mah Jongg classes are in person at the MJCC.
November 30 - January 4

Beginner
Tuesday Mornings
10:30 am - 12:30 pm, CG200

Intermediate
Tuesday Afternoons
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, CG2 01

Register

We are Collecting Mrs. Cubbison’s Stuffing, any flavor (12 oz. boxes), for Jewish Family & Child Service (JFCS). Donations can be dropped off in the MJCC Lobby or PJA Lobby until November 16.

Brighten up your holiday with unique gifts created by ORA artists. There will be artists selling work in a variety of media including mixed media, paint, glass, beadwork, and more.

Monday, November 15 - Friday, November 19
At the MJCC

In partnership with ORA: Northwest Jewish Artists
Download the flyer here.

Please join us for our next PDX Business Zoom:

What Can Be Done For Downtown Portland?
Tuesday, November 30 at 12:00 pm on Zoom
Cost: Free. Suggested donation: $18. 

Panelists:
Mingus Mapps, Portland City Commissioner
Dr. Sharon Meieran, Multnomah County Commissioner
Vadim Mozyrsky, Administrative Law Judge

Moderator:
Danelle Romain, MJCC President-Elect  

Additional details, panelists and registration at oregonjcc.org/pdxbiz

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Michael Bar-Zohar, The Mossad Amazons: The Amazing Women in the Israeli Secret Service

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Tuesday, November 2
4:30 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Book + virtual ticket: $32
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

A Cappella Books is the official bookseller of the National JCC Literary Consortium. Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium

From one of Israel's foremost experts on espionage comes the exciting stories recounting the turbulent lives, loves and perilous missions of the greatest Mossad lohamot, the female warriors of the Israeli Secret Service. The stunning feats of these strong, bold women prove that they are equal to men, and often even better. Beside the nation's enemies, they had to fight a painful solitude, an awkward attitude of their male colleagues, and often give up their dream of marriage and children. And still, they brilliantly carried out their missions. For many years, the activities of the Mossad lohamot were highly classified by the authorities. Today, the veil of secrecy has been lifted, and the Amazons' incredible exploits have been cleared for publication. At last.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 
Matthew McConaughey, Greenlights 
In Conversation with Holly Firfer, Director of Programming, Reach-T

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Saturday, November 6
5:00 pm
Hardcover Book + virtual ticket: $38
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

In partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium, A Cappella Books, Atlanta, Books & Books, Coral Gables

Discover the life-changing memoir that has inspired millions of readers through the Academy Award®–winning actor’s unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.

I’ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.

Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and still: If you know how, and when, to deal with life’s challenges—how to get relative with the inevitable—you can enjoy a state of success I call “catching greenlights.”

It’s a love letter. To life. It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights—and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.
 

Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents

Lucy Adlington, The Dressmakers of Auschwitz: The True Story of the Women Who Sewed to Survive
In Conversation with Adina Jocelyn Langer. Curator, Museum of History and Holocaust Education, Kennesaw State University

Zoom Author Talk and Q & A
Sunday, November 7
12:00 pm
Virtual ticket: Free
Book + virtual ticket: $24
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium, A Cappella Books, Atlanta, and The Breman Museum

At the height of the Holocaust twenty-five young inmates of the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp—mainly Jewish women and girls—were selected to design, cut, and sew beautiful fashions for elite Nazi women in a dedicated salon. It was work that they hoped would spare them from the gas chambers. This fashion workshop—called the Upper Tailoring Studio—was established by Hedwig Höss, the camp commandant’s wife, and patronized by the wives of SS guards and officers. Here, the dressmakers produced high-quality garments for SS social functions in Auschwitz, and for ladies from Nazi Berlin’s upper crust.

Drawing on diverse sources—including interviews with the last surviving seamstress—The Dressmakers of Auschwitz follows the fates of these brave women. Their bonds of family and friendship not only helped them endure persecution, but also to play their part in camp resistance. Weaving the dressmakers’ remarkable experiences within the context of Nazi policies for plunder and exploitation, historian Lucy Adlington exposes the greed, cruelty, and hypocrisy of the Third Reich and offers a fresh look at a little-known chapter of World War II and the Holocaust.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Mark Oppenheimer, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood

Author Talk & Q & A
Sunday, November 7
4:30 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Hardcover book + virtual ticket: $36
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

Our program will begin with a Kristallnacht Commemoration with Rabbi Brian Glusman

A Cappella Books is the official bookseller of the National JCC Literary Consortium.

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium and The Breman Museum

Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, is one of the oldest Jewish neighborhoods in the country, known for its tight-knit community and the profusion of multigenerational families. On October 27, 2018, a gunman killed eleven Jews who were worshipping at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill--the most deadly anti-Semitic attack in American history.

Many neighborhoods would be understandably subsumed by despair and recrimination after such an event, but not this one. Mark Oppenheimer poignantly shifts the focus away from the criminal and his crime, and instead presents the historic, spirited community at the center of this heartbreak. He speaks with residents and nonresidents, Jews and gentiles, survivors and witnesses, teenagers and seniors, activists and historians.

A piercing portrait of the struggles and triumphs of a singular community in the wake of unspeakable tragedy that highlights the hopes, fears, and tensions all Americans must confront on the road to healing.

Calling all book lovers! Discuss literature throughout the year. 
Second Tuesday of each month.
1:00 pm 

The Color of Water by James McBride

In person at the MJCC or via Zoom

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Nicole Krauss, To Be a Man: Stories
In Conversation with Greg Changnon, Playwright and Former Book Club Columnist for the Atlanta Journal Constitution 

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Monday, November 8
5:00 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Paperback book + virtual ticket: $24
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

O, The Oprah Magazine's 20 Best Titles of the Year; Time Magazine's 100 Books to Read in 2020; Esquire's Best Books of 2020; New York Times Editors' Choice

“From a contemporary master, an astounding collection of ten globetrotting stories, each one a powerful dissection of the thorny connections between men and women…”—Esquire

In one of her strongest works of fiction yet, Nicole Krauss plunges fearlessly into the struggle to understand what it is to be a man and what it is to be a woman, and the arising tensions that have existed from the very beginning of time. Set in our contemporary moment, and moving across the globe from Switzerland, Japan, and New York City to Tel Aviv, Los Angeles, and South America, the stories in To Be a Man feature male characters as fathers, lovers, friends, children, seducers, and even a lost husband who may never have been a husband at all. Profound, poignant, and brilliant, Krauss’s stories are at once startling and deeply moving, but always revealing of all-too-human weakness and strength.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Dorie Greenspan, Baking with Dorie
In Conversation with Melissa Clark, New York Times Bestselling Cookbook Author and Columnist

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Tuesday, November 9
5:00 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Hardcover book + virtual ticket: $42
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

A Cappella Books is the official bookseller of the National JCC Literary Consortium.

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium

Here’s your chance to ask the experts why your souffle keeps falling! Say “Dorie Greenspan” and think baking. The renowned author of 13 cookbooks and winner of five James Beard and two IACP awards offers a collection that celebrates the sweet, the savory, and the simple. Every recipe is signature Dorie: easy—beginners can ace every technique in this book—and accessible, made with everyday ingredients. Are there surprises? Of course! You’ll find ingenious twists like Berry Biscuits. Footlong cheese sticks made with cream puff dough. Apple pie with browned butter spiced like warm mulled cider. A s’mores ice cream cake with velvety chocolate sauce, salty peanuts, and toasted marshmallows. It’s a book of simple yet sophisticated baking.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 
Rachael Ray: This Must Be the Place

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Wednesday, November 10
5:00 pm
Hardcover Book + virtual ticket: $40
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Andrew Lawler, Under Jerusalem
In Conversation with Dr. Catherine M. Lewis

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Thursday, November 11
4:30 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Hardcover book + virtual ticket: $36
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

A Cappella Books is the official bookseller of the National JCC Literary Consortium.

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium

Sacred to three faiths and revered by more than half the people on the planet, Jerusalem conjures up powerful images of the celestial. Yet beneath its narrow alleys and holy places, the ancient city conceals a labyrinthine, three-dimensional time capsule recording five millennia of bustling prosperity, brutal war, and repeated religious innovation that altered the course of human history.

Since the days when Abraham Lincoln was in the White House, adventurers, archaeologists, and religious zealots have flocked here to hunt for buried treasure, unearth sacred artifacts like the Ark of the Covenant, and find proof of the Bible’s veracity. That digging to reveal the past continues today—and, in so doing, continues to alter the city’s future.

In Under Jerusalem: The Buried History of the World’s Most Contested City, acclaimed journalist Andrew Lawler takes us into the tombs, tunnels, and trenches of the Holy City—a saga of biblical treasures, intrepid explorers, and political upheaval—and brings to life the indelible characters who have investigated this subterranean landscape.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Andrew Feiler, A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools That Changed America

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Sunday, November 14
4:30 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Book + virtual ticket: $42
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

Sponsored by The Atlanta Jewish Foundation
In Partnership with The Breman Museum

A Cappella Books is the official bookseller of the National JCC Literary Consortium.

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium

Born to Jewish immigrants, Julius Rosenwald rose to lead Sears, Roebuck & Company and turn it into the world’s largest retailer. Born into slavery, Booker T. Washington became the founding principal of Tuskegee Institute. In 1912 the two men launched an ambitious program to partner with black communities across the segregated South to build public schools for African American children. This watershed moment in the history of philanthropy―one of the earliest collaborations between Jews and African Americans―drove dramatic improvement in African American educational attainment and fostered the generation who became the leaders and foot soldiers of the civil rights movement. Of the original 4,978 Rosenwald schools built between 1917 and 1937 across fifteen southern and border states, only about 500 survive. To tell this story visually, Andrew Feiler drove more than 25,000 miles, photographed 105 schools, and interviewed dozens of former students, teachers, preservationists, and community leaders.

Beyond the photographic documentation, A Better Life for Their Children includes an introduction from the late Congressman John Lewis, who attended a Rosenwald school in Alabama.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Alice Hoffman, The Book of Magic: A Novel (Book 4 in the Practical Magic Series)
In Conversation with Holly Firfer, Atlanta Media Personality

Presented in Partnership with Books & Books, Miami

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Monday, November 15
5:00 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Hardcover book + virtual ticket: $36
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium

Master storyteller Alice Hoffman brings us the conclusion of the Practical Magic series in a spellbinding and enchanting final Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters.

The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three-hundred years but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger—the curse is already at work. The Book of Magic is a breathtaking conclusion that celebrates mothers and daughters, sisters and brothers, and anyone who has ever been in love.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room and the National JCC Literary Consortium Present

Nick Davis, Competing with Idiots: Herman and Joe Mankiewicz, a Dual Portrait 
In Conversation with Ben Mankiewicz, Host of Turner Classic Movies

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Tuesday, November 16
5:30 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Book + virtual ticket: $36
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

A fascinating, complex dual biography of Hollywood's most dazzling—and famous—brothers, and a dark, riveting portrait of competition, love, and enmity that ultimately undid them both.

One most famous for having written Citizen Kane (with Orson Welles, as most recently portrayed in David Fincher's acclaimed Netflix film, Mank); the other, All About Eve; one, who only wrote screenplays but believed himself to be a serious playwright, slowly dying of alcoholism and disappointment; the other, a four-time Academy Award-winning director, auteur, sorcerer, and seducer of leading ladies, one of Hollywood's most literate and intelligent filmmakers.

Ivan Maisel, I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye: A Memoir
In Conversation with Kevin Sack, Senior Writer, New York Times

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Wednesday, November 17
4:30 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Hardcover Book + virtual ticket: $36
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

A Cappella Books is the official bookseller of the National JCC Literary Consortium.

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium

In February 2015, acclaimed ESPN sportswriter Ivan Maisel received a call that would alter his life forever: his son Max's car had been found abandoned in a parking next to Lake Ontario. Two months later, Max's lifeless body would be found in the lake. There’d been no note or obvious indication that Max wanted to harm himself; he’d signed up for a year-long subscription to a dating service; he’d spent the day he disappeared doing photography work for school. And this uncertainty became part of his father’s grief. I Keep Trying to Catch His Eye explores with grace, depth, and refinement the tragically transformative reality of losing a child. But it also tells the deeply human and deeply empathetic story of a father’s relationship with his son, of its complications, and of Max and Ivan’s struggle—as is the case for so many parents and their children—to connect. It is also a stunning, poignant exploration of the father and son relationship, of how our tendency to overlook men’s mental health can have devastating consequences, and how ultimately letting those who grieve do so openly and freely can lead to greater healing.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

GARY SHTEYNGART, Our Country Friends: A Novel

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Thursday, November 18
5:00 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Hardcover Book + virtual ticket: $36
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

Eight friends, one country house, four romances, and six months in isolation—a novel about love, friendship, family, and betrayal, a book that reads like a great Russian novel, or Chekhov on the Hudson, by a novelist The New York Times calls “one of his generation’s most original writers.”

“A masterpiece . . . There cannot be a more relevant novel for our moment, certainly not one with such beauty of description, depth of feeling, and, as always, humor.”—Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Less

It’s March 2020 and a calamity is unfolding. A group of friends and friends-of-friends gathers in a country house to wait out the pandemic. Over the next six months, new friendships and romances will take hold, while old betrayals will emerge, forcing each character to reevaluate whom they love and what matters most. The unlikely cast of characters includes a Russian-born novelist; his Russian-born psychiatrist wife; their precocious child obsessed with K-pop; a struggling Indian American writer; a wildly successful Korean American app developer; a global dandy with three passports; a Southern flamethrower of an essayist; and a movie star, the Actor, whose arrival upsets the equilibrium of this chosen family.  Both elegiac and very, very funny, Our Country Friends is the most ambitious book yet by the author of the beloved bestseller Super Sad True Love Story.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Laughter IS the Best Medicine! With Comics Wayne Federman and Annabelle Gurwitch
In Conversation with Holly Firfer, Director of Programming, Reach-TV

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Sunday, November 21
4:30 pm
Virtual ticket: $11
Two books + virtual ticket: $50
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

A Cappella Books is the official bookseller of the National JCC Literary Consortium.

Presented in partnership with the National JCC Literary Consortium

Wayne Federman, The History of Standup

"The History of Stand-Up is a fantastic book. A great read." - Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC's Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Today’s top stand-up comedians sell out arenas, generate millions of dollars, tour the world, and help shape our social discourse. So, how did this all happen? The History of Stand-Up chronicles the evolution of this American art form – from its earliest pre-vaudeville practitioners like Artemus Ward and Mark Twain to present-day comedians of HBO and Netflix. Drawing on his acclaimed History of Stand-up podcast and popular university lectures, veteran comedian and adjunct USC professor Wayne Federman guides us on this fascinating journey.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room Presents 

Jodi Picoult, Wish You Were Here: A Novel

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Monday, November 29
5:00 pm
Hardcover book + virtual ticket: $36
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

Please note: A book purchase is required to access the Zoom stream! Books will be signed.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Small Great Things and The Book of Two Ways comes “a powerfully evocative story of resilience and the triumph of the human spirit” (Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Malibu Rising)

Diana O’Toole is perfectly on track. She will be married by thirty, done having kids by thirty-five, and move out to the New York City suburbs, all while climbing the professional ladder in the cutthroat art auction world. She’s an associate specialist at Sotheby’s now, but her boss has hinted at a promotion if she can close a deal with a high-profile client. She’s not engaged just yet, but she knows her boyfriend, Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos—days before her thirtieth birthday. Right on time.

But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures her, since it would be a shame for all of their nonrefundable trip to go to waste. And so, reluctantly, she goes.

Almost immediately, Diana’s dream vacation goes awry. Her luggage is lost, the Wi-Fi is nearly nonexistent, and the hotel they’d booked is shut down due to the pandemic. In fact, the whole island is now under quarantine, and she is stranded until the borders reopen. Completely isolated, she must venture beyond her comfort zone. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father’s suspicion of outsiders.

In the Galápagos Islands, where Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection was formed, Diana finds herself examining her relationships, her choices, and herself—and wondering if when she goes home, she too will have evolved into someone completely different.

Pati Jinich, star of PBS's "Pati's Mexican Table,” discusses her new cookbook, "Treasures of the Mexican Table," with food writer Adeena Sussman ("Sababa"). The Mexican-Jewish chef talks about her heritage and shares some of her unique twists on classic recipes from both cultures.

Sunday, November 14
1:00 pm 
Tickets: $5*- $10 talk only | $30*- $35 talk + cookbook

* Discount for J members, students, seniors 65+ and Program Partners. Use promo code: PATICOOKS.

BUY TICKETS

Every other week conversational Hebrew chat in the MJCC lobby or on Zoom.

Hebrew for Lunch
Tuesdays, November 9 + 23
12:15 – 1:15 pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82748979041?pwd=Y3JKVDNNUEU4V3hKWE0vTzkzTUozdz09

Join the MJCC as we connect virtually with The Mazal Tov JCC in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine and celebrate Hanukkah together! We will begin with candle lighting and blessings followed by short programs from each community, and closing with a music video from our friends in Zaporizhzhia. This program will be presented in English and Ukrainian with translations.
Sunday, November 28
10:30 am
Zoom link.

Still Traveling: Picturesque Paris - A NEW SERIES! 

Mondays, November 1, 8, 15 + 22 
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
on Zoom 

Back by popular demand with 4 new tours, our terrific, professional, local guide leads this new series – created especially for our Alliance – of interesting tours.  Join James Sokol to zoom off to visit different neighborhoods in the gorgeous and romantic “City of Light!”   

For details + tickets, click here.  

A NEW "TOUR" BY POPULAR DEMAND!!! 
Still Traveling: Rockefeller’s Famous Theater 
Mondays, November 29 
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
on Zoom 

Rockefeller Center - both with its iconic theater and legendary tree - have become synonymous with the holiday season in NYC. People of all faiths and from all over the world come to attend a show in the spectacular theater, home of the famous Rockettes.  Kick-off the season by joining trip leader James Sokol, who will Zoom you to the heart of Manhattan to meet and "tour" with Tim Dolan to learn about this extraordinary theater and the Center’s holiday festivities. Don’t miss this new “tour” with our adored, dynamic, professional guide, a “walking encyclopedia of Broadway!” 

Order by 11/27 to get "Early Bird" pricing! 

For details + tickets, click here.  

Exploring Opera: Paris’ Opera Houses + Premieres 
Three Thursdays, November 4, 11 + 18 
1:00 - 2:30 pm
on Zoom 

During the 19th century, Paris was known as the cultural capital of Europe, due in large part to its many opera houses & theaters. In this special mini-series, join James Sokol to learn about and enjoy highlights of selected works which premiered at some of the city’s most important theaters. 

• The Opera de Paris (Nov 4) 
• The Opera Comique (Nov 11) 
• The Théâtre Lyrique & the Théâtre-Italien (Nov 18) 

This special mini-series is filled with glorious arias, fabulous singers, and gorgeous music; a great series for opera newcomers & the long-time fans.  Come for the songs; stay for the fun! 

For details + tickets, click here.  

Songs + Stories: "Cabaret Francais" 
Wednesday, November 17 
1:00 - 2:00 pm
on Zoom 

Throughout the centuries, France has had “a sound of its own.” Take a front row seat at your computer and join jazz & cabaret singer Gilda Solve for a live (from near Paris!) performance of songs that evoke the French musical spirit. Whether by Jacques Brel, Claude Nougaro, or Michel Legrand, each has its unique sound fragrance. And, “Oh La La,” they are SO French! 

Save! Order by 11/15 for “Early Bird” pricing! 

For details + tickets, click here. 

Music + Morsels:  French Impressions 
Wednesday, November 24 
1:00 - 2:00 pm
on Zoom 

Take a break from Thanksgiving preparation to enjoy classical music of France, and written in France. Hear how composers from Mozart to Gershwin were inspired by the city of Paris and indulge yourself in the sensuous impressionistic harmonies of composers such as Debussy, Ravel, and Satie in pianist Ian Scarfe's live concert. After the concert, Scarfe welcomes and replies to Q&A from guests. 

Order by 11/22 to get "Early Bird" pricing! 

For details + tickets, click here.  

Check out this exciting Hanukkah Film Festival presented by Menemsha Films and Chai Flicks. Receive 25% off with our promo code: PDXJCC. More information at HanukkahFilmFestival.com

Festival Trailer: https://youtu.be/zaJNyoY6ZM8

Chai Baby Indoor Playground is back starting December 1!
Free and open to everyone.

First Wednesday of each month
from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
in the MJCC Sportsplex

Masks are required. Proof of vaccination may be required for adults.
Please mark your calendar for more Chai Baby Indoor Playground dates next year!
January 5 | February 2 | March 2

MJCC Friends of the Center Society Chocolate +   Truffle Tasting
Thursday, December 2, 2021  |  5:30 pm  |  Zoom

We hoped to be able to celebrate in person, instead, let’s taste chocolate virtually and light Hanukkah candles together.

Cristina from “A Yen For Chocolate” will lead us through a conversation on chocolate and truffles and a tasting over Zoom. All chocolate will be shipped to you so RSVP by November 15 to make sure your chocolate arrives before the event.

This event is free to members of the Friends of the Center Society (donors of $360 or more), and there will be no solicitation.
Questions? Call Saul Korin at 503.452.3427.

RSVP to oregonjcc.org/chocolate

An Evening with Alicia Jo Rabins

With Special Guests
Alicia J. Rose and Lara Cuddy

Wednesday, December 22 at 6:30 pm. Register at oregonjcc.org/aliciajo.
An In-Person Performance at the MJCC
Cost: $5 per person

Be transported by Alicia Jo Rabins' beautiful song cycle about the inner lives of Biblical women - and how their complicated experiences resonate with our own. Drawing inspiration from rabbinic midrash, bluegrass, feminist Torah commentary, indie rock and mysticism, Rabins' classical violin training and background as a poet combine with her years of Jewish text study to offer an intimate window onto the surprisingly relevant lives of these ancient women. With her "gorgeous" (New York Times) voice, violin, looping pedal, and guitar, Rabins single-handedly conjures the stories of Miriam, Judith, Lilith, Tamar, and others, invoking their power to keep us company in moments of joy and difficulty.

In this very special hometown performance at the MJCC, Rabins will perform a selection of solo songs from the Girls in Trouble song cycle, and screening excerpts from her award-winning collaboration with director Alicia J. Rose and producer Lara Cuddy, A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff. In addition, as we head into 2022, Rabins will unveil the next stages of the Girls in Trouble project: a musical (supported by the Portland Jewish Women's Giving Circle) and a screen adaptation (in collaboration with A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff director and producer). 

Terrific Tastings: Grandma’s Swedish Cookies 
Sunday, December 5 
1:00 - 2:15 pm
on Zoom 
Order by November 21^st! 

Ulrika Pettersson has fond memories of baking cookies with her grandmother Rut, then riding on the back of her bike to share them with friends who lived by the lake in Östersund, in northwestern Sweden where she grew up. Today, she uses these same recipes to bake with her two daughters and as the basis for her lovely line of Swedish cookies. Let us deliver a collection of six varieties of non-GMO, kosher-certified cookies to your doorstep. Pour yourself a cup of coffee/tea or glass of champagne and join culinary host James Sokol to meet this charming entrepreneur for a discussion about her background, her business and, of course, her cookies! Come for the cookies; stay for the fun! 

For details + tickets, click here. 

Hanukkah: The Festival of Lights - An Evening of Art, Performance and Learning

Join JCC Association and its partners, JArts™ and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to celebrate Hanukkah as eight female Jewish artists—including singer Tair Haim of A-Wa, Italian chef Sylvia Nacamulli, and dancer Rachel Linsky—share unique creations inspired by hanukkiot (Hanukkah menorahs) in the Judaica collection at the MFA. The event promises an unforgettable evening of performance, learning, and artistic engagement for all.

Wednesday, December 1 at 3:00 pm 
Virtual J
Click here for more information

Enjoy arts and crafts, dreidels, storytime, singing, and eat some delicious sufganiyot 
(jelly donuts) at this family-friendly Hanukkah celebration. 

Sunday, December 5
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Cost: $5 per family.

Register

Hanukkah Concert with Mister G & Friends

Join Latin Grammy Award-winning artist, author, activist, and educator Mister G, a.k.a Ben Gundersheimer, and his international band of Jewish music-makers from Israel, Mexico, and Argentina for a family-friendly Hanukkah concert overflowing with ruach (spirit). This dynamic and interactive experience is certain to bring some rhythm to the Festival of Lights, and we can’t wait to sing and dance with you.

Monday, December 6 at 2:30 pm
Virtual J
Click here for more information

Every other week conversational Hebrew chat in the MJCC lobby or on Zoom.

Hebrew for Lunch
Tuesdays, December 7 + 21
12:15 – 1:15 pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82748979041?pwd=Y3JKVDNNUEU4V3hKWE0vTzkzTUozdz09

“A diverse array of stories about Jewish identity.”  -Jewish Journal

Tuesday, December 7
5:00 pm
Virtual Ticket: $6
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

While all people face challenges and struggles, Jews of Color have many touching and unique stories to tell about resilience, self-respect, and celebrating the many colors and voices in our community. The stories in True Colors, ostensibly about Jews who feel “different,” actually remind us how very much alike we are. Join us to hear these humorous, revealing, and inspiring stories from Jews of Color, exploring identity, community, and being a Jew in modern times.

  The Braid, formerly Jewish Women’s Theatre, is the go-to Jewish story company and leading non-profit organization creating, curating, producing and preserving stories grounded in Jewish culture and experience. Through its performances and programming, The Braid empowers artists and audiences to feel pride in Jewish culture while building community and connection between people of all backgrounds.

MJCCA Book Fest In Your Living Room and the National JCC Literary Consortium Present

David Javerbaum, The Book of Pslams
In Conversation with Mara Davis, Atlanta Media Personality

Zoom Author Talk & Q & A
Thursday, December 9
5:00 pm
Virtual ticket: $6
Hardcover book + virtual ticket: $26
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

Just in time for the Apocalypse comes a new Biblical scripture from God and thirteen-time Emmy Award–winning comedy writer David Javerbaum. Three thousand years ago, King David wrote The Book of Psalms—hymns in praise of God that became famous worldwide. Now, with humanity on the verge of a self-generated catastrophe, God (with the help of another David) has decided to return, and reverse, the favor. God has collected a cornucopia of insults of the human race in the form of prose, poetry, and parody. From topics as diverse as COVID-19, racism, meth, math, and on a lighter note, the platypus, God provides a 21st-century spin on life’s many problems. Even the Holy Ghost stops by to make sure you don’t forget him. Anybody who’s a fan @TheTweetofGod and/or NOT a fan of the human race is sure to love The Book of Pslams.

Calling all book lovers! Discuss literature throughout the year. 
Second Tuesday of each month.
1:00 pm 

Americanah by Chimanda Ngozi

In person at the MJCC or via Zoom

One Night Only! A Virtual Evening with Mel Brooks! 

QUESTION FOR MEL? Please email book.festival@atlantajcc.org

“Laugh-out-loud hilarious and always fascinating, from the great Mel Brooks. What else do you expect from the man who knew Jesus and dated Joan of Arc?”—Billy Crystal

All About Me! offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work, and offers details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeleine Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock, and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft.

Sunday, December 12
4:30 pm
Tickets and Zoom info.

Still Traveling: Fabulous Finland 
Mondays, December 6, 13, 20, 27 + January 3 
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
on Zoom 

Though one of the world’s most northern and geographically remote countries and with a rather severe climate, Finland ranked #1 of 156 countries on the World Happiness Report. Come find out why!  Zoom off to this overlooked, Scandinavian treasure with trip leader James Sokol for five guided, virtual “trips” with our interesting, professional, local guide Tuula, who will share her passion for and insights about her homeland. Our visits include:

• Welcome to Finland (Dec 6) 
• Helsinki: Maritime Capital (Dec 13) 
• Daytrip from Helsinki (Dec 20) 
• Eastern Highlights (Dec 27) 
• Jewish Finland (Jan 3) 

For details + tickets, click here. 

Check out this exciting Hanukkah Film Festival presented by Menemsha Films and Chai Flicks. Receive 25% off with our promo code: PDXJCC. More information at HanukkahFilmFestival.com

Festival Trailer: https://youtu.be/zaJNyoY6ZM8

Music + Morsels: Northern Lights – Classical Music from Scandinavia 
Wednesday, December 1 
1:00 - 2:00 pm
on Zoom 

Save! Order before 11/29 for “Early Bird” pricing! 

Bring a cup of coffee/tea & pastry or create a wine/cheese happy hour and take a front row seat at your computer for a live, classical piano concert. Pianist Ian Scarfe brings a program of classical favorites highlighting Northern Europe, including Romantic works by “the father of Norwegian classical music” – Edvard Grieg!  After the concert, Scarfe welcomes and replies to Q&A from guests. 

For details + tickets, click here. 

Exploring Broadway: “I Am” Songs 
Thursdays, December 2, 9 + 16 
1:00 - 2:30 pm
on Zoom 

Usually sung early in the show, “I Am” songs help establish a character's personality, role in the plot, and/or motivations. They can be more effective and efficient – and certainly much more fun! – than plain dialogue. Join James Sokol for a journey with audio & video performance clips of these compelling and propelling songs. From soaring ballads to charming ditties, songs will come from the “Golden Age” to recent shows.  Come for the songs; stay for the fun! 

For details + tickets, click here. 

Art + Artists:  Van Gogh + Rembrandt 
Three Tuesdays, December 7, 14 & 21 
11:00 am - 12:15 pm
on Zoom 

Zoom with us to The Netherlands to meet our fantastic, local guide - Tricia – who is back by popular demand after having led our Amsterdam + Gouda virtual trips. This time, join her on three journeys to learn about the art, the artist, and the surroundings of two renowned Dutch painters. 

For details + tickets, click here.

Exploring Opera: Nordic Singers 
Three Wednesdays, December 8, 15 + 22 
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
on Zoom 

From Sweden’s Birgit Nilsson, Norway’s Kirsten Flagstad, and Denmark’s Lauritz Melchior to Finland’s Karita Mattila & Iceland’s Kristinn Sigmundson and many, many others, the Nordic countries have produced some of the world’s greatest opera singers. Join James Sokol to learn about some of these international stars and experience their artistry in video performance clips. Come for the music; stay for the fun! 

For details + tickets, click here.

Songs + Stories: A Tribute to George Gershwin 
Wednesday, December 15 
1:00 - 2:00 pm
on Zoom 

Save! Order before 12/13 for “Early Bird” pricing! 

Known as one of the most sought-after musicians in the United States, George Gershwin was a composer of jazz, opera, and popular songs for stage & screen. Many of his works are now standards! Join songstress & storyteller Gilda Solve to (re-)discover some of the hits from his shows such as, “An American in Paris,” “Lady Be Good,” or “Shall we Dance?” Sing along (but stay on “mute,” please) to the beat of “Fascinating Rhythm” or “Embraceable You” and many, many others. Don’t miss this joyful performance; perfect for the holidays!  Guests are welcome to ask questions via the chat throughout the program. 

For details + tickets, click here. 

Sometimes tying the knot gets complicated. It’s official: Zoey Marks is the cursed bridesmaid that no engagement can survive. 

Bad Luck Bridesmaid:  Alison Rose Greenberg
Tuesday, January 11
4:30pm
Virtual Ticket $6.00

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO + TO REGISTER

The Used Book Sale is back! This sale is open to everyone. Please note that
Covid-19 restrictions apply. Everyone will be required to:
• Show Photo Identification
• Show Proof of Vaccination (or recent negative PCR test) 
• Wear a Mask
• Maintain social distance

Sunday, January 30 from 10:00 - 3:00 pm
Monday, January 31 from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
Tuesday, February 1 from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

$1 for children’s books, $2 for all other books. Bargain Tuesday everything is $1!
Credit cards accepted with $10 minimum. 

Proceeds benefit the Portland Jewish Academy Library and the MJCC.  Located at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy.