Shir Joy!

Shir Joy!

SHIR Joy! A Year of Song and Inspiration
Celebrating Cantor Cahana Through Music and Community

Welcome to SHIR Joy! our yearlong music and cultural series celebrating Cantor Cahana as she prepares to retire next June.

Please plan to join in the joy!

 SHIR Joy is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors, led by Presenting Sponsor Marcy Tonkin.

Kabbalat Shabbat in Chanukah
Friday, December 27

An evening of music and light featuring musical virtuosi organist Bruce Neswick and trumpeter Aaron Kahn. Celebrate the radiance and resonance of the holiday as we light the third candle together.

Cahana Family Art Exhibit
Sunday, January 26

The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust education opens Trauma, Memory, and Art. The exhibit features three generations of Cahanas: from Shoah survivor Alice Lok Cahana, to her son Rabbi Ronnie Cahana, to his daughter, Kitra Cahana, and will run through May.

Music and Musing with Cantor Evan Kent
Friday, January 31 – Sunday, February 2

A weekend of music, memory, merriment, and meaning with Scholar-in-Residence Cantor Evan Kent who will join our Friday Night Service, perform his original one man show “Shards,” on Saturday, and will work with our religious school, and, on Sunday, will lead an Adult Education hour with his perspective as a cantor who made Aliyah to Israel with his husband, Rabbi Don Goor.

SHIR Joy! 
A Night of Song and Celebration
Saturday, April 19

Save the date for this concert and party featuring Thomas Lauderdale and friends.

More to come! 

May the Forth Be With You
Sunday, May 4

CBI’s Kol Echad Choir joins the Trinity Cathedral Choir and organist Katie Webb for “May the Fourth be With You – Celestial Music of the Heavens.” 

This is the musical event you’re looking for.

Cantor Ida Rae Cahana performs with Pink Martini at the Hollywood Bowl

Farewell Shabbat
Friday, June 27

The CBI community says a more sweet than bitter l’hitraot as Cantor Ida Rae Cahana leads her final Shabbat as our Senior Cantor.
A festive oneg and reception will follow.

SHIR Joy! is Made Possible Through the Generosity of Our Sponsors*

Presenting Sponsor

Marcy Tonkin

Platinum Sponsor

Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Family Fund of OJCF and Jordan Schnitzer

Diamond Sponsors

Leslie and Stephen Robinson
Rose Rustin

Gold Sponsors

Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana and Cantor Ida Rae Cahana
Michelle and Steve Gradow
Janet Hoffman and John Harland
Craig Hartzman and James John
The Holzman Foundation
Rabbi Rachel Joseph and Rebbetzin Sara Spettel
Elizabeth Menashe
Sandra Lewis and James Rosenbaum
Debra and Roscoe Nelson
Rita and Robert Philip
Diane and David Rosencrantz
Lois Schnitzer
Martha Soltesz
Kathy Davis-Weiner and Michael Weiner

Sponsorship both supports this yearlong celebration and continues to ensure that full participation in Jewish life at CBI is open to all, regardless of their financial circumstances. If you are interested in sponsoring this event series, please reach out to Josh@bethisrael-pdx.org.

*Sponsor list as of Friday, August 30

Past SHIR Joy! Events

Davening: a Musical Memoir of Grandfather’s Prayer
Tuesday, September 10 7:00 PM

In this world premier concert featuring musicians from the Oregon Symphony, Davening showcased composer Deena T. Grossman’s signature balance of cultural and natural references. The performance touched on themes of cyclical connection, deep time, death and renewal, intergenerational sharing, and sense of place

Selichot Service
Teshuvah through Art with Lolly Jamerson
Saturday, September 28

Lolly Jamerson lead a participatory art making experience related to themes of brokenness, return, and renewal through the Japanese art of Kintsugi. A musical, inspirational service in in the Main Sanctuary followed, during which we will changed the Torah covers to white.

Recognition, Remembrance, Renewal:
Veterans Day, Kristallnacht, Hevreh Ensemble

Friday, November 8

Recognition, Remembrance, Renewal:
Veterans Day, Kristallnacht, Hevreh Ensemble

6:00 PM
In-Person and Online
Pollin Chapel

Rabbi Michael Z. Cahana and Cantor Ida Rae Cahana led an abbreviated Shabbat Evening Service, during which we honored all Jewish veterans and current members of the American armed forces.

On this eve of Kristallnacht, we also remembered those whose lives were shattered with the “night of broken glass” as well as all who fought in the war that followed to preserve freedom and Jewish lives everywhere.

In the evening’s latter half, we welcomed the internationally-celebrated Hevreh Ensemble, which creates a dialogue between Jewish and Native American musical motifs.e