Per the governor’s statewide freeze to stop the rapid spread of COVID-19, the Mittleman Jewish Community Center closed temporarily Nov. 18 and will remain closed for four weeks.
“All in-person programs will cease for the next four weeks,” says MJCC Executive Director Steve Albert. “That includes the fitness center, the lap pool, the warm pool, the racquetball courts, in-person personal training, after-school programs, adult soccer leagues – the J will be completely closed.”
Steve is also executive director of Portland Jewish Academy, which, like the MJCC, is on the Schnitzer Family Campus. Noting the freeze did not include new restrictions on schools, Steve says, “PJA’s Early Childhood program and the limited, in-person programming that we are offering in our day school program are not impacted and will continue unchanged.”
In addition, the J continues to offer online fitness classes and personal training for members. The entire community is invited to explore the center’s virtual arts and culture programs. 
“We will continue to offer our wide range of virtual arts and culture classes, programs and events, including author talks, Jewish theater and other programs as listed on our website,” says Steve. “These will continue to be open to the whole community. We will also continue to offer other virtual programs such as our PDX Business Series.”
Program information, registration and tickets for the virtual offerings can be found at oregonjcc.org/arts-culture.
Book Fest in Your Living Room presented by the JCC Literary Consortium continues Dec. 2 with Ina Garten, author of Modern Comfort Food, in conversation with Michael Ian Black, comedian, actor and author. Tickets for the 4:30 pm program are $45, which includes a copy of the book (shipping included).
The MJCC has teamed up with The Jewish Repertory Theatre of Western New York for a selection of Five Staged Readings, performed on the JRT stage and seen, through the magic of video, wherever audiences choose to enjoy them. Tickets are $20 per play; free video presentations with directors, playwrights and actors provide insights before the plays are released. 
The next play in the series, Holiday Shorts, runs Dec. 10-23. Atlanta playwright Hank Kimmel presents a series of offbeat, comic 10-minute plays featuring themes of the holiday season. The free presentation with Kimmel will be 4:30 pm, Dec. 3.