PHOTO: An April 30 concert by Israeli Superstar Noa is part of our community’s Israel at 75 Celebration. Pre-sale tickets will be available Jan. 9. See story below.

Federation offers grants for programs and events

The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland is offering grants to Jewish organizations to present events or programs this spring to mark Israel’s 75th anniversary.
David Ben-Gurion proclaimed the establishment of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948 (5 Iyar on the Hebrew calendar, which in 2023 coincides with April 25-26). U.S. President Harry S. Truman recognized the new nation on the same day. Since then, Israel has been a safe haven for the Jewish people and a leader in innovative technologies that have benefited the world.
“We are excited for our community to celebrate Israel at 75,” says JFGP President and CEO Marc Blattner. “We want to create a full calendar of community events, and we recognize that small funding can go a long way.”
The grants are designed to expand creative and collaborative initiatives to excite, educate and inform our community about Israel. Grant requests are due by
Feb. 1. Decisions by Feb. 15.
Apply: form.jotform.com/JFGP/israel-75-grant-form.

Israeli superstar coming to celebrate Israel at 75

Israeli Superstar Noa will perform here this spring as part of our community’s Israel at 75 Celebration.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland and Congregation Beth Israel present “Celebrating Israel at 75” at
7 pm, April 30, at the new Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton. The concert features Noa performing with Grammy-winning pianist Rustan Sirota.
With roots and upbringing spanning Yemen, Israel and the United States, Achinoam Nini, aka Noa, is a singer, songwriter, poet, composer, percussionist, peace activist and mother of three children.
Together with her longstanding musical collaborator Gil Dor, an accomplished musician and co-founder of the Rimon School of Music, Noa has released 15 international albums and graced many of the world’s most important and prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and the White House, and has performed for three popes. She has been mentored by Pat Metheny and Quincy Jones and shared the stage with legends such as Stevie Wonder, Andrea Bocelli and Sting.
In addition to her music fame, Noa is considered a prominent cultural advocate of dialogue and co-existence in Israel. Noa is Israel’s first ambassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and is active as a board member and public advocate of a score of human rights and peace organizations in Israel and abroad.
Tickets are $18-$36 plus a $4 service fee. Pre-sale tickets will be available beginning 10 am, Monday, Jan. 9. Use Promo code ISRAEL75. Tickets go on sale to the general public the following week, Jan. 16.
Tickets will be available through the Reser Center at thereser.org/event/celebrating-israel-at-75-with-israeli-superstar-noa/.