One of 18 profiles of local beneficiary agencies of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s 2022 Annual Campaign.

MOISHE HOUSE
moishehouse.org | moishepodwestpdx.com  | facebook.com/MoisheHousePDX
AREA OF SERVICE: Jewish Community Building
2022 ALLOCATION: $16,200
SERVICES: As a global organization with diverse initiatives, Moishe House is helping shape the Jewish community of today and into the future. Since opening in 2008, MH Portland has engaged thousands of Jewish young adults. In addition, MH expanded in Portland with the opening of Moishe Pod-West PDX in 2022. Both the Moishe House and Moishe Pod provide a welcoming hub of vibrant Jewish life for Jewish young adults.

“Moishe House Portland and Moishe Pod-West PDX are both central community resources that are helping make young adulthood one of the most exciting times to be Jewish,” says Nicole Tafoya, West Coast Director of Advancement for Moishe House.
MHPDX and MP-West PDX have programs available for every Jewish young adult in their 20s and early 30s.
“Through the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland’s ongoing partnership, we are able to reach more young adults in Portland, create unique experiences and establish a sense of belonging when the need for meaningful social and spiritual interactions is acutely felt,” says Tafoya.
In 2022, Moishe House Portland and Moishe Pod West Portland collectively engaged nearly 500 unique individuals through 93 programs. Programs ranged from Shabbat dinners and holiday celebrations to Jewish learning sessions and tikkun olam service-oriented activities.
“One program that we’re really excited about is MH Portland’s Jewish Maker’s Market,” says Tafoya. “The program first launched in November 2021 and brought in more than 200 attendees. In 2022, MH Portland hosted the event at a local Jewish-owned business, Books with Pictures. This event is so special, and we’re excited about the third annual Maker’s Market taking place in 2023.”
MHPDX and MP West PDX operate within the context of the larger Portland Jewish community.
“We believe in an inclusive approach to community building,” says Tafoya. “The residents are always seeking out opportunities to collaborate with other organizations, to strengthen the overall landscape of Jewish life in Portland.”
On a global level, Moishe House recently adopted a new strategic plan to guide the nonprofit through 2026, with a goal of eventually engaging 100,000 unique participants around the world.
“We believe that by continuing to invest in both proven and experiential models of Jewish communal engagement, we can build a dynamic platform and a strong Jewish future where every Jewish young adult has the access and resources needed to move further along in their Jewish journey,” says Tafoya.