We are now in the final month of the calendar year. The Jewish Federation’s Annual Campaign stands at $2.1 million – about 55% of the way to our goal! We hope that you will consider making your commitment to our 2025 annual Campaign for Community Needs prior to the end of the year. Payment on these pledges is not due until next December (in 12 months). Help us reduce costs by making your pledge now.

At the same time, our community is fortunate that we have the highest payment rate on pledges of any Jewish Federation in North America. It is a remarkable achievement! And it is those payments that allow us to do our work. For those who wish to pay their past or current pledge, we encourage you to do so by clicking here or mail a check to:

Jewish Federation of Greater Portland

9900 SW Greenburg Road

Suite 220

Tigard, OR 97223

We are most grateful for your ongoing generous support. Because of your contributions we can support Jewish community organizations and continue our efforts to fight antisemitism, provide security for local Jewish institutions, create welcoming and engaging programming, and support social service needs in Israel.

Over the holiday weekend, I met a stranger who shared a valuable life lesson with me. Bear with me as I share the story...

I am an auditory learner. I like to hear things as compared to read things. I have a need for constant background noise and sounds. Perhaps this is why I am a television junkie. Always have been. In fact, for my high school graduation (in 1987), I refused to get a typewriter (for younger readers, yes, that was the big gift back then to take to college before word processors and later computers) and demanded a television to bring to school with me. Not only did I get a TV, but a family friend owned an appliance store and I got one of the first ever models of a 13” color TV/VCR combo unit. That was a blessing, because I could tape Guiding Light (I was never a General Hospital fan) every day and watch after class.

Today, I have hundreds of cable channels, and I subscribe to every streaming service possible. I read Variety and Entertainment Weekly so I can see what new shows are coming and mark them on my calendar. I even have a pad of paper on my nightstand listing all the shows, what day, and what channel/service to watch them on.

Personally, I prefer the Netflix model with the “full season dump” all at once over the weekly release on most services. That way I can get through an entire season in no time -- especially if I watch Netflix on my iPad since I can view at 1.5x speed to get through the episodes quicker.

Apparently, I am also a "streamer cheater." This is when someone watches additional episodes ahead of the other person. I learned about that in this article in last Saturday’s Oregonian. I admit I cannot wait for someone else if I am going to keep up with all the shows. 

But that is not the lesson.

Last Friday, my wife, her friend from Atlanta, and I visited Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach. We hiked the Clatsop Loop Trail and, as you may know, at the top of the trail is a “hiker’s camp.” There are three wood “cabins” with no doors, each has four wood beds inside, and a fire pit in the center of the camp. They are free to use and first-come first-served.

A gentleman was finishing putting his gear in a cabin and we started talking. He comes up regularly by himself and just loves the ambience. He talked about how the only sounds are the sounds of nature (including wild animals) and how peaceful it is to be there, often with no other campers. I was thinking to myself, I do enjoy camping, but this place would be scary at night and the perfect setting for a new murder-mystery horror show.

He then brought out some wood to the fire pit to prepare for an evening under the stars. The man says to me:

Did you know that Neanderthals invented television? Today, we call it fire. You can sit and relax next to it. It brings you warmth and joy as you watch the flames. You can eat and drink in front of it. You can talk with others while watching. If you want to change the channel -- just add another log. And, the show never gets boring.

Beautiful! His comment hit me like a ton of bricks. Here I am, this television junkie needing constant entertainment and he saw joy in the simplest of ways. It was a wonderful lesson in this technology-driven world to slow down, not everything is a task, and enjoy all the natural things around us. I thought about it the whole ride home – and one week later I am sharing it with you.

However, to be honest, the next morning I woke up early and was back to my “streaming cheating” ways. I definitely need to buy some fire wood and use our fire pit.

Fire can also be used for bad purposes. Last night, I went to bed hearing the news about an arson attack at a synagogue in Melbourne, Australia. Assailants broke windows and threw firebombs into the

building causing extensive damage and injuring several congregants. This act of antisemitism cannot be tolerated anywhere in the world.

On a more fun note, Brigham Young University star quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who is Jewish, inked a sponsorship agreement with Manischewitz. The the kosher food company will sell boxes of matzah with Retzlaff’s image on the packaging. Wheaties may no longer be the breakfast of champions -- it will be matzah brei.

Finally, today is the 37^th anniversary since Freedom Sunday for Soviet Jews, a march and political rally in Washington, DC (and across the United States, including Portland). Some 200,000 people gathered on the National Mall, calling for Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Former Soviet Union, who was meeting the next day with President Ronald Reagan, to allow Soviet Jews to emigrate to Israel and the United States. I have written before how I was at that rally and it inspired me to become a Jewish communal professional.

Shabbat shalom.