The Jewish Federation of Greater Portland will host the Portland Jewish Festival Sunday, Aug. 30 at Zidell Yards in Portland’s South Waterfront neighborhood.
“It is going to be filled with food, kids’ activities, Israeli dancing, musical performances, organizational booths, Jewish artists and lots of fun,” Federation President and CEO Marc Blattner said. “It’s an opportunity for us to be loud and proud as Jews here in the greater Portland area, and we want everybody to come and bring their family.”
The festival, starting at 11am and continuing all day, will include musical performances by Kosha Dillz and Nissim Black, as well as Portland singer-songwriter Alicia Jo Rabins and local klezmer band Carpathian-Pacific Express. Other acts have yet to be confirmed.
Blattner explained that the festival is inspired by the results of 2023’s community study which recognized a desire for the Jewish community to come together and share Jewish culture and joy on a grand stage.
“Jews live all over the greater Portland area; east side, west side, north-south, wherever it may be, and it has been many, many years since we’ve done something like this,” Blattner said. “With world events, with the rise in antisemitism, it’s even more important for us as the Jewish community to say, ‘we are here, we’re part of this city, and we’re not going anywhere, and we’re proud to be here.’”
Confirmed organizational partners helping to put on the festival include as of press time Art/Lab, BB360, Beit Haverim, Camp Solomon Schechter, Chabad of Southwest Portland, Congregations Ahavath Achim, Beth Israel, Neveh Shalom and Shaarie Torah, the Eastside Jewish Commons, The Gan Preschool, Greater Portland Hillel, Jewish Family & Child Service, Jewish National Fund USA, Maayan Torah Day School, the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, NCSY Oregon, the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation, the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, P’nai Or of Portland, Portland Jewish Academy and the Robison Foundation for Jewish Elders.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children and free for those under age 6 and will go on sale following Passover . More details about food vendors, activities, other musical acts, and security arrangements will be available as plans continue to solidify over the coming weeks online at Jewishportland.org. Sponsorship opportunities are available; email Blattner at [email protected] for more information.
“This is a day to have on your calendar. It’s a day not to be missed. It’s something that we hope thousands and thousands of people in the Jewish community and beyond come out for,” Blattner said.