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Popular grief group returns for spring series

BY JENN DIRECTOR KNUDSEN deal with my never-ending feelings of grief
Spring can offer a lot of promise: sunnier WALKING BESIDE YOU and loss,” said one who also has registered
days, family-oriented holidays, celebra- WHAT: A grief-processing group for the spring group.
tions like graduations and days dedicated WHEN: 11 am to noon. April 28; May 5, Another individual shared, “It helps me to
to mothers and fathers. 12, 19 and 26; and June 2, 9 and 16. know that each of us is grieving differently,
Spring also offers many opportunities for WHERE: Via Zoom and there is no timeframe for that. I (now)
sadness, loss, grief. realize that I can still do things for myself and
“Sometimes the longer days do help us to REGISTER: Free; registration required: for others, too. You helped me with that.”
feel better, but when they don’t, it can cause jfcs-portland.org/walking-beside-you Both Missy and Rabbi Cohen noted one
us to experience feelings of hopelessness, unexpected and incredibly positive out-
like we will feel awful forever,” says Missy with others with shared experiences.” come: group members’ longer-term con-
Fry, LCSW, CAGSC, Jewish Family & Child Missy and Rabbi Cohen requested feed- nections to one another.
Service’s behavioral health social worker. back from their fall group’s participants “People can find others to go through
Mindful of this reality, JFCS announc- and are incorporating some of their ideas this process together; that’s one of the best
es its second grief-processing group in into this spring’s Walking Beside You. things we can provide,” Rabbi Cohen says.
collaboration with the Jewish Federation For example, most of the 12 in the initial co- Missy adds, “There is no cure for grief.
of Greater Portland. Offered in the fall, hort wanted the group to last longer, so now Showing up and being present with peo-
Walking Beside You filled very quickly, it will meet for eight weeks instead of six. ple’s painful experiences can be helpful on
and many participants and others who had And the group also will include a new its own, even when it doesn’t feel like we
heard about the group, requested a spring- session exploring how people can use their have all the right things to say.”
time opportunity. Co-facilitators Missy and unique spirituality or personal faith to go “We’re walking beside each other,” she
Community Chaplain Rabbi Barry Cohen through the grief process. concludes.
again team up for the no-cost, virtual group. “Traditional Jewish wisdom can be a guide, Walking Beside You is made possible in
“Since our fall sessions concluded, we but we now have so many other resources large part thanks to the Jewish Federations
continued to get contacted about when our and insights at our fingertips to grieve in a of North America’s Center for Holocaust
next grief group would be held,” Missy says. mindful way,” Rabbi Cohen says. Survivor Care and Institute on Aging and
“Unfortunately, this represents a sad truth The feedback also included the partici- Trauma, the Leonard & Lois Schnitzer
that there is no shortage of grief in our com- pants’ gratitude. Charitable Supporting Foundation of Or-
munity. Because grief can be such a lonely “I appreciate having another opportunity egon Jewish Community Foundation and
road to travel, there is a yearning to connect to be in a healing environment to help me the Zidell Family Foundation.
PDX Hillel celebrates Israel Fellows April 28
PDX Hillel will celebrate a decade of In 2012, the Jewish Federation of
Israel Fellows in Oregon 6-8 pm, April Greater Portland, through its Community
28. Guest speaker Amy Albertson will Initiatives Fund, made a decision to bring
share her story of how Portland’s first to Oregon the first Israel Fellow or shali-
shaliach changed her life and why hav- ach in almost 30 years. The Fellow be- The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland has
ing a face of Israel on campus and in the came a lead professional at PDX Hillel. gathered resources to help families observe Pass-
community matters. “We are celebrating the role of the Isra- over. Visit jewishportland.org/passoverhappenings
The event, which will be held at the el Fellow because during times like now, to find organizations providing resources for
home of Jeff Reingold, will feature din- with antisemitism and anti-Zionism ram- different life stages, sources of Passover meals
ner catered by Shalom Y’All, a golden pant on college campuses, it is crucial to and recipes. The site is also a great place to find
ticket raffle, mitzvah moment and future ensure our students have a tangible re- seders and other Pesach events.
leader student award. source that can provide humanity to the SEDERS
A 2013 Portland State University grad- often contentious dialogue around Israel Visit jewishportland.org/community-calendar/
uate, Albertson became a student leader on campus,” says PDX Hillel Executive passover-happenings for details on the following:
and is now an activist for Jewish pride. Director Hannah Sherman. “Our Israel April 15, 7:30 pm: Vancouver Seder –
“Our first shaliach brought an apoliti- Fellows have allowed our students, but Chabad of Clark County.
cal film called ‘Israel Inside’ to Portland also the broader Portland Jewish commu- April 15 and 16, 7:30 pm: East County Com-
State. The movie was protested by peo- nity, to have a meaningful, ongoing and munity Seders – Join East County Chabad Jew-
ple with mouths taped and hands tied,” personal connection with Israel.” ish Center in Gresham.
says Albertson, who went on to found You can purchase tickets for the virtual April 15 and 16, 7:30 pm: Tigard Passover
PDX Hillel’s CHAI, Cultural & Histori- raffle to support sustaining the Fellow. Seder – Tigard Chabad Center.
cal Association of Israel. Only 50 tickets per package will be April 16, 4-6 pm: Kol Shalom Community
Living in Israel for six years, she creat- sold. Buy a ticket to win The Ultimate Seder – Humanistic, online.
ed the brand The Asian Israeli, in which Student Survival Kit, Calling All PDX April 16, 5:30-6:30 pm: Temple Beth Israel-
she discusses her mixed identity and ex- Sports Fans, Life’s a Beach Weekend Eugene Second Night Seder – Short seder with
periences as a Chinese-American Jewish and Oregon in Gorges. For package de- the community, then dinner on your own.
woman. This exploration of her own re- tails and to buy a ticket, see pdxhillel. April 20, 5:30 pm: Kachka Passover Seder –
lationship with Israel led her to the work org/shalom. Benefit for HIAS held at Kachka restuarant and
she does today. Now Albertson promotes To RSVP, visit pdxhillel.org/shalom. led by educator Hannah Treuhaft.
Jewish pride through online activism, For more information, contact Hannah April 21, 5 pm: BB Camp's Central Coast
public speaking and workshops. Sherman at hannah@pdxhillel.org. Community Seder – In person at BB Camp.
Jewish Review April 13, 2022 9