May-June-July B’nei Mitzvahs Benjamin Samuel Rosenfeld Benjamin Samuel Rosenfeld will become a Bar Mitzvah on June 23, 2018. Ben is the son of Eric and Tiffany Rosenfeld and the younger brother of Claire and Layton. His grandparents are former CBI President Lloyd Rosenfeld (z”l), Rosemarie Rosenfeld, Patricia Layton Nemer (z”l) and Mort Nemer (z”l). A seventh grader at Catlin Gabel, Ben’s interests include science, math, basketball, soccer, violin, and volunteering with the Special Olympics. For his Mitzvah Project, Ben turned to a very personal subject: life-threatening food allergies and has established the Ben Rosenfeld Allergy Research Fund of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation, the proceeds of which go toward local and national food allergy research. Please visit www.ojcf/for-our-donors/contribute-to-a-fund.
Ruth Jeris Zeidman Ruth (“Ruthie”) Jeris Zeidman will become a Bat Mitzvah on July 14, 2018. The daughter of Jennifer and Ken Zeidman and granddaughter of Jerry (z”l) and Zelda (z”l) Zeidman, Sandi and Marc Scholnick of Portland, OR, and Marty and Iris Ricks of Omaha, NE. She is a seventh grader at Portland Jewish Academy. Ruthie loves to spend time with young children and was able to work with kids at the PJA preschool and the Neighborhood House Head Start program this year. She is passionate about animals and ensuring they are well treated. She supports the hungry by volunteering at the Oregon Food Bank and the Blanchet House. Ruthie and two of her PJA classmates have raised more than $5,000 through two campaigns to build wells in Africa through The Water Project. They created the campaigns called Stop the Walk so that communities in Africa could have access to clean water without having to travel for hours each day.
Allison Rommi Khalil
Nathaniel Adam Freedman Nathaniel (Nate) Adam Freedman will become a Bar Mitzvah on June 30, 2018. Nate is the son of Joel and Sara Freedman and the younger brother of Aaron Freedman. Nate’s grandparents, Herman and Vicki Zimmerman, live in Portland and are also members of CBI. His paternal grandparents are Michael and Elissa Freedman, of Schenectady, NY. Nate is a seventh grader at Beaumont Middle School who loves listening to and playing music, spending time with friends, playing video games, reading, making ‘beats,’ and watching movies. He has played drums in school bands since fifth grade and is pretty much always tapping on something! He also plays drums and a multitude of percussion instruments in the school Jazz band. For his Mitzvah Project, Nate has volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank, spending time there repacking food items for distribution throughout Oregon.
Emma Schoenbaum Emma Schoenbaum will become a Bat Mitzvah on June 30, 2018. The daughter of Dan and Tricia Schoenbaum and younger sister of Noah, Emma is a seventh grader at Lake Oswego Junior High. Emma is an animal lover and avid equestrian, and she and her pony, Pippin, compete in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association and eventing horse shows in Oregon and Washington. Emma is also a member of the National Charity League and was most recently served as Vice President, programs. For her Mitzvah Project, Emma has been fostering a series of cats and dogs from Animal Aid and Oregon Dog Rescue. She has fostered six cats and kittens and four dogs, the most recent puppy (Charly) having become a permanent member of her household.
Max Josephson Max Josephson will become a Bar Mitzvah on July 7, 2018. Max is the son of Eli and Gabrielle Josephson. He has a younger sister Dana. Max’s maternal grandparents are Paul Josephson (z”l), and Roberta Klock and Richard Evers of Seattle, WA. His paternal grandparents are Iris and Ray Gatlin of Ormond Beach, FL. Max is a seventh grader at ACCESS Academy in Portland. Max likes baseball, soccer, video games, and is a big Timbers fan. Over the past several years, he has enjoyed volunteering at the Oregon Food Bank, and visiting with residents at Cedar Sinai Park, and looks forward to continuing his social justice efforts.
Allison Rommi Khalil will become a Bat Mitzvah on July 21, 2018. The daughter of James and Suzanne Khalil and younger sister of Jacob Khalil, Allison attends West Sylvan Middle School where she is a proud “theater kid” who participates in musicals and plays each year. In addition to acting and singing, Allison enjoys playing basketball with the Lincoln Youth Basketball Team in the Portland Interscholastic League. Her free time is most often dedicated to songwriting, drawing, and baking. Earlier this year, Allison became aware of a child with cerebral palsy whose family has been in need of financial support to assist with his medical and personal expenses and, as her Mitzvah Project, has embarked on a mission to raise funds by hosting a benefit dance at West Sylvan Middle School. Her vision includes making this middle school event an ongoing school tradition that can be used to meet the needs of other children in similar situations.
Talia Louise Wexler Talia Louise Wexler will become a Bat Mitzvah on July 21, 2018. Talia is the daughter of Amie and Jon Wexler, has an older sibling, Fern, and is the granddaughter of Richard and Roberta Wexler of Highland Park, IL and Carol and Robert Jacobson of Wilmette, IL and Bruce Thomson (z”l). A seventh grader at Northwest Academy, Talia enjoys tap dancing, musical theater, horseback riding, volunteering, playing with her dogs, and working on designing media arts projects. Talia’s Mitzvah Project tackles the issue of gun violence awareness and prevention. She organized a day of education at her school, arranging speakers and community workshops. She co-coordinated her school’s walkout to support the March for Our Lives, has attended Advocacy Days and marches on this issue in Salem and Washington, DC, and is committed to continued efforts toward changing Oregon’s gun laws.
Max Young Max Young will become a Bar Mitzvah on July 28, 2018. The son of Julie and Jeff Young, brother of Emmy and Ethan, and grandson of Bette and Joe Hirsch of CA, and CBI congregants Ann and Lewis Young, Max has always gravitated toward the stage, performing at home, in school productions, and with local companies, including Northwest Children’s Theater and the Portland Opera. A sixth grader at Da Vinci Arts Middle School, he is a member of his neighborhood library teen council, and a volunteer for its Summer Reading Program. For his Mitzvah Project, he will collect and clean books for the Children’s Book Bank, which provides over 30,000 books each year to young readers in Multnomah County who otherwise wouldn’t have access to them. To support his Mitzvah Project, please donate a new or lightly used children’s book; he’d love your help!
May-June-July 2018
3