History

Rabbi Aryeh leads the celebration as Sari Telpner and Asha Slater arrive at PDX with the Torah loaned to P’nai Or by  Congregation Beth Shalom in Sioux City Iowa. Sept 8, 1997. Courtesy Robert Back/The Oregonian, 9/9/1997

P’nai Or of Portland started in 1991 with a workshop led by Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield of Ashland. Attendees invited him to visit Portland each month, and, at first, held services in private homes.

The group of 12-15 elected a governing council and started renting space. In 1995, when the congregation numbered 65, Rabbi Aryeh moved to Portland with his family.

In 1998, P’nai Or relocated to Koinonia House at Portland State University. Programs included children’s and adult education, a Tikkun Olam committee, Hebrew classes, music groups, and meditation circles. Starting in 2014, the congregation met at St. Mark Presbyterian Church in SW Portland.

On January 6, 2009, Rabbi Aryeh passed away. While the community mourned, Rabbi David Zaslow of Ashland Oregon led services for two years. Then, Rabbah D'vorah Kolodny became the spiritual leader until 2014, when the congregation became lay led with the help of (now Hazzan) Baruch Morris.

In 2018, P’nai Or moved to the Hillsdale Community Church. Rabbi Hannah Laner served as spiritual leader from 2018 until the summer of 2023.

P’nai Or continues to evolve, guided by congregants who draw inspiration from their tradition and each other.

Find Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield zt”l’s discography on Bandcamp: https://rebaryeh.bandcamp.com/