Congregation Neveh Shalom

{{Short description|Synagogue in Portland, Oregon}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox religious building | name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | image = Neveh Shalom Synagogue straight - Portland, Oregon.JPG | image_upright = 1.4 | alt = | caption = Neveh Shalom in the [[Hillsdale, Portland, Oregon|Hillsdale]] neighborhood. The modern building was built in 1965,<ref name="history" /> although it was remodeled in 2008.<ref name=":1" /> | religious_affiliation = [[Conservative Judaism]] | tradition = | sect = | district = | prefecture = | province = | region = | deity = | rite = | festival =  | organisational_status =  | ownership = | governing_body = | leadership = {{ubl|Rabbi Eve Posen {{small|(Senior)}}|Rabbi Daniel Isaak {{small|(Emeritus)}}|Cantor Eyal Bitton|Rabbi April Villareal {{small|(Interim)}}}} | bhattaraka = | patron = | consecration_year = | status = [[Synagogue]] | functional_status = Active | religious_features_label = | religious_features = | location = 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, [[Hillsdale, Portland, Oregon|Hillsdale]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]] 97239 | locale = | municipality = | cercle = | state = | country = United States | map_type = USA Oregon Portland | map_size = 250 | map_alt = | map_relief = 1 | map_caption = Location in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]] | grid_name = | grid_position = | sector = | territory = | administration = | coordinates = {{Coord|45.4835|-122.7059|region:US-OR_type:landmark|display=inline,title|format=dms}} | coordinates_footnotes = | heritage_designation = | architect = | architecture_type = | architecture_style = | founded_by = | creator = | funded_by = | general_contractor = | established = {{nowrap|1961 {{small|(Neveh Zedek and Ahvahai (''sic'') Shalom merger)}}}} {{bulleted list|1869 {{small|(Ahavi Shalom)}}|1883 {{small|(Talmud Torah)}}|1900 {{small|(Neveh Zedek)}}|{{nowrap|1902 {{small|(Talmund Torah and Neveh Zedek merger)}}}}}} | groundbreaking = | year_completed = {{ubl|1904|1911|1950}} | construction_cost = | date_demolished =  | facade_direction = | capacity = | length = | width = | width_nave = | interior_area = | height_max = | dome_quantity = | dome_height_outer = | dome_height_inner = | dome_dia_outer = | dome_dia_inner = | minaret_quantity = | minaret_height = | spire_quantity = | spire_height = | site_area = | temple_quantity = | monument_quantity = | shrine_quantity = | inscriptions = | materials = | elevation_m =  | elevation_footnotes = | nrhp = | designated = | added = | refnum = | delisted1_date = | website = {{URL|https://nevehshalom.org}} | module =  | footnotes = }}

'''Congregation Neveh Shalom''' is a congregation and [[synagogue]] affiliated with [[Conservative Judaism]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Synagogues, Shuls, and Jewish Temples: Congregation Neveh Shalom in Portland, Oregon |url=http://alljewishlinks.com/synagogue/oregon/portland/congregation-neveh-shalom/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330212058/http://alljewishlinks.com/synagogue/oregon/portland/congregation-neveh-shalom/ |archive-date=2009-03-30 |access-date=2016-08-13 |website=alljewishlinks}}</ref> located at 2900 SW Peaceful Lane, in the [[Hillsdale, Portland, Oregon|Hillsdale]] neighborhood of [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 3, 2005 |title=Portland Ground: Portland Oregon Photography - Images and Dreams from the Oregon Street - A Photographic Landscape of Urban Oregon |url=http://www.portlandground.com/archives/2005/07/neve_shalom_syn_1.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330102210/http://www.portlandground.com/archives/2005/07/neve_shalom_syn_1.php |archive-date=2009-03-30 |access-date=2016-08-13 |website=Portlandground}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Congregation Neveh Shalom |url=http://www.americantowns.com/or/portland/organization/congregation-neveh-shalom |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120723063317/http://www.americantowns.com/or/portland/organization/congregation-neveh-shalom |archive-date=2012-07-23 |work=americantowns.com}}</ref>

Founded in 1961 from the mergers of three older congregations, it has a membership of over 850 households.<ref name="nevehshalom.org">{{cite web |title=Neveh Shalom Portland Oregon |url=https://www.nevehshalom.org/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903142029/https://nevehshalom.org/ |archive-date=September 3, 2023 |work=nevehshalom.org}}</ref> The early members of the synagogue were immigrants from [[Prussia]] or [[Poland]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Our History |url=https://nevehshalom.org/cns150-history/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208064246/https://nevehshalom.org/cns150-history/ |archive-date=February 8, 2023 |access-date=2020-09-03 |website=Neveh Shalom |language=en-US}}</ref> resulting in the nickname "Polisha shul." Despite the synagogue's nickname, it leaned toward the [[Judaism in Germany|German styles]] of [[Judaism]], rather than the [[Judaism in Poland|Polish one]].<ref name=":0" /> Neveh Shalom is the second oldest Jewish congregation in the Pacific Northwest and the oldest Conservative congregation on the West Coast.<ref name="history">[https://nevehshalom.org/cns150-history/ CNS 150: A Pictorial Look at Where resulting". We Came From], Neveh Shalom website. Accessed May 16, 2019.</ref>

==Earnly History of Neveh Zedek and Ahavi Shalom== [[File:Constitution of Congregation Ahavai Sholom.png|thumb|left|Constitution of Congregation Ahavai Sholom]] Neveh Shalom traces its origins to two synagogues, Neveh Zedek and Ahavi Shalom.

Ahavi Shalom was formed in 1868 and founded in 1869. It was led for three years by Rabbi [[Julius Eckman]]. Rabbi Eckman had published ''Gleaner'' in San Francisco in 1858 which was the first Jewish periodical on the Pacific coast.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Adler |editor-first=Cyrus |date=1899 |title=The American Jewish Yearbook |location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |publisher=The Jewish Publication Society of America |page= |isbn= }}</ref>

During these early years, Jews of [[History of the Jews in Germany|Prussian]] and [[Timeline of Jewish-Polish history|Polish ethnicity]] were the primary [[Demography|demographic]] of the synagogue. Ahavi was known as the ''Polisha Shul''. After Eckman left, [[Hazzan]] Robert Abrahamson served as both the hazzan and the rabbi due to difficulties in finding a new rabbi.<ref name=":0" /> By 1889, Ahavi Shalom began conducting sermons in [[English language|English]] instead of [[German language|German]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Congregation Neveh Shalom |url=https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/congregation_neveh_shalom/#.X1MJkXlKhPY |access-date=2020-09-05 |website=oregonencyclopedia.org}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Ahavi Shalom was located on SW Sixth between Oak and Pine in 1899 and counted 65 members.

Congregation Talmud Torah was founded in 1895 and in 1899 was located at 260 First Street and had 50 members. Talmund Torah and Neveh Zedek merged in 1902, creating the synagogue Neveh Zedek.<ref name=":1" /> As the synagogue grew, the need for new buildings to fit the growing congregation arose, resulting in the construction of two buildings in 1904, 1911, and 1950. Throughout the 1920s, Neveh Zedek struggled to find a rabbi, relying on its cantor Abraham Rosencrantz, who served until 1936, the year he died.<ref name=":0" /> During this period, in 1921, Neveh Zedek joined the [[Conservative Judaism|Conservative movement]]. Two years later, an [[arson]]ist set fire to the synagogue.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

Ahavi Shalom was located at 146 SW Park Avenue where Edward T. Sandrow served as rabbi between 1933 and 1937.<ref>{{cite journal |date=2003 |title=unknown |url= https://www.google.com/books/edition/Oregon_Historical_Quarterly/TSr7lyHg2SkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22neveh+shalom%22+portland&dq=%22neveh+shalom%22+portland&printsec=frontcover|journal=Oregon Historical Quarterly |volume=104 |issue= |publisher=Oregon Historical Society |page=91 |doi= |access-date=December 25, 2025}}</ref>

After [[World War II|World War 2]], an influx of Jewish refugees of the [[The Holocaust|Holocaust]] resulted in Neveh Zedek's orientation shifting into a more traditional style.<ref name=":0" /> In 1953, a Rabbi Joshua Stampfer arrived at the synagogue.<ref name=":0" /> Rabbi Stampfer created a Jewish preschool which would later turn into a Foundation School.<ref name=":0" /> A year later, in 1954, Major Pruitt would come to the synagogue to learn about Judaism. Pruitt would organize weddings and [[Bar and bat mitzvah|bar mitzvahs]], keep track of [[Yahrzeit candle|yahrzeits]], and oversee the synagogue's [[Kashrut|kosher kitchen]].<ref name=":0" />

==Neveh Shalom (1961-present)==

In 1961 Neveh Zedek merged with Ahvahai Shalom to form Neveh Shalom.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

Rabbi Stampfer continued as rabbi of the merged congregation. During his tenure, Rabbi Stampfer founded summer camps, a preschool, helped establish the Oregon Jewish Historical Society and Oregon Jewish Museum, and taught at Portland State University where he was influential in the creation of PSU's degree in Judaic Studies.<ref>{{cite web |last=Iboshi|first=Kyle|date=December 30, 2019|title=Hundreds mourn the loss of longtime Portland Rabbi Joshua Stampfer; Family, congregation and the Portland Jewish community remember Rabbi Stampfer. He died at age 97.|url=https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/hundreds-mourn-the-loss-of-rabbi-joshua-stampfer/283-69fb393f-e012-484a-a8dd-f63fd67c631b|website=kgw.com |location=Portland, Oregon |publisher=KGW8|access-date=December 25, 2025}}</ref>

In 1965, the religious schools run by the synagogue grew.<ref name=":0" /> Classes were taught on modern and traditional Judaism, and they discussed issues from a Jewish perspective. The rabbi would also lead book discussions.

Neveh Shalom came to be a center for Jewish life and thought in Portland. The synagogue welcomed [[Chaim Potok]], [[Robert F. Kennedy|Robert Kennedy]], and [[Abraham Joshua Heschel]] to speak at the congregation in the 1960s.<ref name=":0" /> Kennedy would speak in May 1968 during his presidential campaign.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 27, 1968 |title=Bobby: Says "Shalom" ... Ethel: A Good Skate |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y5pQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6251,4308548&dq=neveh+shalom+portland&hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220606020019/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y5pQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6251%2C4308548&dq=neveh+shalom+portland&hl=en |archive-date=June 6, 2022 |work=google.com}}</ref>

The congregation began to welcome female leadership in the 1960s. Min Zidell, who became a member in 1967, was the first woman to serve as a member of the board. The first female executive director of the synagogue, Carolyn Weinstein, was appointed in 1976.<ref name=":0" /> The synagogue elected in 1967 to treat women and men as equals within the synagogue.<ref name=":0" /> The synagogue, under the committee leadership of Elaine Cogan and Rabbi Stampfer, published its own prayer book in 1989, ''Oneg Shabbat'' which removed all gendered language referring to the divine.<ref>{{cite book |last=Levine|first=Joseph A.|date= 2001|title=Rise and be Seated: The Ups and Downs of Jewish Worship |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Rise_and_be_Seated/6l8RAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22neveh+shalom%22+portland&dq=%22neveh+shalom%22+portland&printsec=frontcover |location= |publisher=Jason Aronson Inc |page=73 |isbn= |access-date=December 25, 2025}}</ref>

By 2009, it was the largest Conservative synagogue located in Oregon.<ref name=":1" /> Neveh Shalom's clergy, Rabbis Bradley Greenstein and Joshua Stampfer, and Cantor Linda Shivers were part of the coalition of leaders who worked to establish the Portland Eruv that went live in November 2009 and encompasses Neveh Shalom.<ref>{{cite web |date= December 21, 2009|title=Rav Tzvi Fischer Leads Establishment of New Eruv in Portland|url=https://matzav.com/rav-tzvi-leads-establishment-of-new-eruv-in-portland/ |website=matzav.com|location= |publisher= |access-date=December 28, 2025}}</ref>

Rabbi Daniel Isaak served as senior rabbi for twenty twp years before retiring in 2015. Rabbi Isaak was succeeded by Rabbi David Kosak who came to Neveh Shalom from Congregation Shaarey Tikvah in Beachwood, Ohio. Neveh Shalom had 850 member families in 2015<ref>{{cite web |last=Wittenberg|first=Ed|date= May 15, 2015|title= Rabbi Kosak leaving Shaarey Tikvah for Oregon synagogue|url=https://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/local_news/rabbi-kosak-leaving-shaarey-tikvah-for-oregon-synagogue/article_9c4a8de6-f3ed-11e4-9ae7-876701db7ebd.html |website=clevelandjewishnews.com |location=Cleveland, Ohio |publisher=Cleveland Jewish News |access-date=December 25, 2025}}</ref> and 2,000 members in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last=Chizhik-Goldschmidt|first=Avital|date=September 1, 2020 |title=Portland's Jews know their state's racist history. Now the chaos has some beefing up security.|url=https://forward.com/news/453685/portlands-jews-express-concerns-about-security-looting-and-white-militia/ |website=forward.com |location=New York, New York |publisher=The Jewish Daily Forward |access-date=December 25, 2025}}</ref>

Rabbi Eve Posen was hired at Neveh Shalon in 2014 as an associate rabbi, and succeeded Rabbi David Kosak as senior rabbi in July 2025.<ref>{{cite web |last=Profenna|first=Chiara |date= April 11, 2025|title= Women's Passover Seder offers perspective on Portland synagogues' shifting leadership|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/living/2025/04/womens-passover-seder-offers-perspective-on-portland-synagogues-shifting-leadership.html |website=oregonlive.com |location=Portland, Oregon |publisher=Oregon Live |access-date=December 25, 2025}}</ref> Rabbi Posen was officially installed as senior rabbi on November 15, 2025.<ref>{{cite web |date= 2025|title= Senior Rabbinical Installation: Rabbi Eve Posen|url=https://jewishportland.org/community-calendar/senior-rabbinical-installation-rabbi-eve-posen |website=jewishportland.org |location=Portland, Oregon |publisher= Jewish Federation of Greater Portland |access-date=December 27, 2025}}</ref> In June 2025, the congregation hired Rabbi April Villareal as interim clergy.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 18, 2025 |title=Rabbi Villareal joins Neveh Shalom |url=https://cdn.fedweb.org/fed-29/2/JR061825.pdf?v=1750265224 |work= The Jewish Review|location=Tigard, Oregon |publisher= Jewish Federation of Greater Portland|page=2|access-date=December 28, 2025}}</ref>

== List of Rabbis == {| class="wikitable" |+ !Names !Timeframe !Synagogue |- |Julius Eckman |1869-1872 |Ahavi Shalom |- |Robert Abrahamson |1872-1937 |Ahavi Shalom |- |Abraham Rosencratz |1920's-1935 |Neveh Zedek |- |E. Charles Sydney |1937-1951 |Ahavi Shalom |- |Phillip Kleinman |1937-1951 |Neveh Zedek |- |Joshua Stampfer |1953-1993 |Ahavi Shalom |- |Daniel Isaak |1999-2015 |Neveh Shalom |- |Bradley Greenstein |1999-2022 |Neveh Shalom |- |David Kosak |2024 |Neveh Shalom |- |Eve Posen |2024 |Neveh Shalom |}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading == * {{cite book |last1=[[Gary Miranda|Miranda]] |first1=Gary |last2=Bernstein|first2=David|date=1989 |title=Following A River: Portland's Congregation Neveh Shalom, 1869-1989 |location=Portland, Oregon |publisher=Jewish Historical Society of Oregon |page= |isbn= }} * {{cite act |type=Senate Concurrent Resolution |index= |date=2019 |article= |article-type= |legislature=Oregon Legislative Assembly |title=Senate Concurrent Resolution 32 |script-title= |trans-title= |page= |url=https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2019R1/Downloads/MeasureDocument/SCR32/Introduced |access-date=December 28, 2025 |via= }}

== External links == *{{official website|https://nevehshalom.org}} *https://rabbieve.com/ Senior Rabbi Eve Posen Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neveh Shalom}} [[Category:1869 establishments in Oregon]] [[Category:1883 establishments in Oregon]] [[Category:1900 establishments in Oregon]] [[Category:1902 establishments in Oregon]] [[Category:1961 establishments in Oregon]] [[Category:20th-century synagogues in the United States]] [[Category:Conservative synagogues in Oregon]] [[Category:Jews and Judaism in Portland, Oregon]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1869]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1883]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1900]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1902]] [[Category:Jewish organizations established in 1961]] [[Category:Religious buildings and structures in Portland, Oregon]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Southwest Portland, Oregon]] [[Category:Synagogues completed in 1965]] [[Category:Synagogues in Oregon]]