MJCC History
A Rich Legacy…A
Vibrant Future
Since its founding in 1914, Portland’s
Jewish community center has provided a wide variety of social, cultural,
educational and recreational programming. Today, the Mittleman Jewish Community
Center (MJCC) is the core of Portland’s
Jewish community– we also offer a welcoming gathering space that is open to our
neighbors and people of all faiths.
Our Journey Began
in the Early 20th Century
In 1910, the B’nai B’rith Building Association in Portland decided to
establish a Jewish community center. The original two-story building, located
on Thirteenth Avenue
between Market and Mill streets, opened to the community in 1914.
The Jewish Community Center came to life as a beloved
gathering place for its members. There was something for everyone in the family
to enjoy: meeting facilities, classrooms, athletic facilities, a library, and a
billiard room. It was truly a hub of activity, with events ranging from B’nai
B’rith Orchestra performances to High Holiday services for the Sephardic
community.
Many generations of Jewish Portlanders fondly recall the
dances, swimming lessons, social clubs, basketball games, fundraisers, and
summer camp activities that were hosted or organized by the center.
We Expanded to Meet
Growing Needs
The center moved to its current location in 1971. In 1976,
member Harry Mittleman made a generous donation which allowed the community
center to retire the building’s mortgage. In acknowledgement of his
philanthropy, the center was renamed to honor Harry’s wife, Helen.
The center has expanded over the years: in 1987 a wing was
added to accommodate the Portland Jewish Academy, and in 1996 the Early Childhood
Learning Center
was created.
In 2005-07, the building underwent a major renovation,
refreshing PJA and adding:
- New
lobby and café for MJCC
- New
ballroom with state of the art audio visual capabilities
- New
locker rooms, spa facilities and cardio-weight room;
- Family
changing rooms;
- New
exercise rooms and renovated gymnasium.
We’re a Center for
Today’s Community
We are proud to continue our tradition as a center for
Jewish life while offering a welcoming environment for all of our neighbors. More than
1,000 people come through our doors daily for classes, athletic activities,
meetings, special events, and programs.
People come to the MJCC for services and programs open to the public and
found nowhere else in Oregon or southwestern Washington, including
community-wide secular Jewish celebrations and performances; Jewish community
orchestra and klezmer performances and family activities.
We are immensely proud to offer Jewish
cultural arts and social programs; premier fitness, spa and wellness facilities
open to all; beautifully-appointed public areas and rental spaces; day camp; programs
that serve the elderly, infirm and disabled; and Oregon’s only kosher café.
Our Legacy is the
Foundation for Our Future
Since its founding nearly 100 years ago, the Mittleman
Jewish Community Center has served the social, cultural, educational and
recreation needs of Portland
families without regard to religion, background or ability to pay.
Although the MJCC’s stated mission is to fulfill these needs
for Portland’s Jewish community, we have always
interpreted that imperative to encompass the entire Portland community. This history of service
to a diverse, broad-based community, informed by the Jewish imperative of tikkun olam (repairing the world; making
the world a better place) infuses the MJCC’s spirit today.
Throughout the decades, the MJCC
has evolved into a “living room” for our community. Every day, the
MJCC’s programs impact Oregonians’ quality of life; every day, we see ways in
which the impacts of our program will be felt by future generations.
For many of Portland’s
Jewish community, it is their center for Jewish living and bears the memories
of those who enjoyed the original 1914 facility as well as our modern campus.
The MJCC is a link in the chain of generations.
We Provide a
Welcoming Environment for All
The MJCC, which has historically been involved with social
service organizations, continues to work in partnership with groups such as Cedar Sinai Park, Cancer Care Resources, Red Cross, OHSU Medical
School, and others. We
also provide meeting space for local nonprofits at low cost – whether it is a
local women’s soccer organization, a Muslim group seeking a space to hold a
holiday celebration or a flu shot clinic staffed by OHSU medical students.
We Educate Future
Generations
The MJCC also houses nationally-recognized Portland Jewish
Academy (PJA), which operates a renowned preschool, and an elementary and
middle school (Oregon’s
only U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School for educational excellence
in 2005, and an International Baccalaureate® World School candidate). These
programs are also open to the community.
We Invite You to
Join Us
We hope that you will come to visit the MJCC – explore our
facilities, meet our members, and consider becoming part of the center. We
welcome the entire community and we hope to be part of the fabric of your
family’s life.
