PHOTOS:  8 Days of Giving will benefit eight nonprofits including (from left) Oregon Food Bank, Oregon Humane Society and Raphael House.

BY DEBORAH MOON

In recognition of the devastating impact of the pandemic on nonprofits and the individuals they serve, 8 Days of Giving enables the Jewish community to support worthwhile charities in the general community with dollars and time.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland has partnered with eight organizations to show that the Jewish community cares, is impacted by these same issues and can do our part during this holiday season. 
Each day of Chanukah, Federation will post photos, descriptions and quotes about that day’s featured organization online at jewishportland.org/8daysofgiving and on social media. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised during the 8 Days of Giving campaign go directly to the nonprofits featured each day.
“The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland is proud to partner with these eight important community organizations,” says JFGP President and CEO Marc Blattner. “Each brings a high level of social service expertise to their clients. Join me in supporting one or all of these organizations during the eight days of Chanukah.” 
The partner organizations are Dress for Success, Oregon Humane Society, Transition Projects, Portland Backpack, Oregon Food Bank, Schoolhouse Supplies, Raphael House and Ophelia’s Place (where girl at left enjoys a Harry Potter party).
“Chanukah is an opportunity to teach our children and ourselves the power of giving to others,” says Rabbi Barry Cohen, community chaplain. “Giving gifts to others, especially to those in need, can be compared to light.”
Rabbi Cohen shares this teaching on light from Rabbi Michael Strassfeld, founding chair of the National Havurah Committee: Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.
“When we give freely to others, we do not diminish what we have,” concludes Rabbi Cohen. “We only selflessly share our light, joy and hope.”
Celebrate the Festival of Lights by spreading the light to a new organization each day. 
“8 Days of Giving started last year as an opportunity for JFGP to elevate voices in our community and support those voices with our dollars,” says Nadine Menashe, the JFGP staff person in charge of the program. “In 2019, we featured … Federation programs. This year, with the toll that the coronavirus pandemic has taken on our nonprofit community, we thought it was important to show our secular community partners that they are supported.”