4 • The Southwest Portland Post
FEATURES
March 2015
Everyone’s invited for arts, culture and recreation at MJCC
By KC Cowan
The Southwest Portland Post
The Mittleman Jewish Community
Center has been a prominent feature
along Southwest Capitol Highway
ever since it opened in 1971. Its roots
in Portland as an organization go back
much further; last year it celebrated its
100th anniversary.
The MJCC houses a preschool and
the Portland Jewish Academy, with
classes through 8th grade. There’s a full
gymnasium, swimming pool, therapy
pool, weight room, handball courts,
and a covered soccer field. There’s
a cultural component as well, with
lectures, classes and even the Jewish
Community Orchestra.
And while all this provides a
core facility for Portland’s Jewish
community, Laurie Fendel, special
events program manager at the MJCC,
would like you to pay a little less
attention to the word “Jewish” in the
center’s name, and more to the word
“community.”
“The thing is, this is a community
center for all,” Fendel said.
The original Jewish Community
Center was once exclusively Jewish –
created for Jews by Jews, because so
many other clubs excluded them from
membership.
Ironically, now that those prejudices
are gone and Jews can join about any
club they’d like to, the MJCC finds itself
in a position of needing to “sell itself” a
bit, to stay thriving. It wants to keep its
roots firmly in the Jewish community,
while offering a community center for
The recent remodel of the MJCC lobby creates a comfortable space to have lunch or just
enjoy art on display. (Post photo by KC Cowan)
everyone to enjoy.
Part of Fendel’s job is
to come up with cultural
programs to entice people to
walk through the doors of a
facility they may otherwise
have thought you needed to
be both Jewish and a member
to enter.
A glance at the flyer for
the first six months of 2015
includes activities and events
at the MJCC that definitely
are oriented to the Jewish
faith, such as the “Friday
Night Lights – Shabbat
Across America,” which will
feature a dinner, music and
entertainment, or the Purim
Carnival, a traditional Jewish
holiday celebration.
There are many more
e v e n t s , h o w e v e r, t h a t
have no connection at all
to any religion. There’s a
monthly series for women Laurie Fendel, special events program manager at MJCC,
exploring topics such as stands by one of her own works of art, a fiber hanging.
career transitions, money, (Post photo by KC Cowan)
and looking good at any age.
A used book sale is slated for March,
of the other programs I developed is
as are performances by the White Bird
called “Everything YAH,” which means
Dance Company, and a lecture by a
‘everything for the young at heart’.”
Peace Corps volunteer.
“Everything YAH” will offer baby
Many of the events are free, and others
boomers classes and lectures on
ask a nominal fee, but Fendel says the
everything from the joy of downsizing,
important thing is you don’t have to
to living your later years to the fullest.
be a member to attend. Everyone is
March is also Jewish Arts Month.
welcome.
Fendel, an artist herself, will display art
“I love to network with people, and
created by members of Ora (Hebrew for
bring in other organizations,” Mendel
“light”), Northwest Jewish artists.
says. “My job is really cultural arts. One
(Continued on Page 6)
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