“The point is to be full force as an event space as soon as the world opens up.” “Covid has hampered in-person events, but the Kollel is rebooting as Kollel 2.0, so when the world opens up, we will have new offices, classrooms and meeting space ready for enhanced programming for the community,” says Rabbi Spivak. Restrooms and a small lunch area take up another 480 square feet of space that will also be open to the common area.ĭirector of Communications Rabbi Akiva O’Connor says he became the de facto librarian because he had a vision for how the books should be displayed. The books for the Beit Knesset (house of study) are still mainly in boxes.
The Kollel is already using about 2,300 square feet of the new space for Kollel and NCSY offices and classrooms. He calls the coming year “a new era for the Kollel.” He also worked on the Eastside Jewish Commons and Rachel’s Well Community Mikvah with Federation. Weitz is the contractor for the project and is coordinating the design work. “We are trying to expand common space (available in the community).” “We have a lot of concepts, but noting is solidified,” says Weitz, who has been involved with Kollel since its founding 16 years ago. He hopes the common space also will be used for young adult meeting space. “Jeff and I are dreaming,” says Kollel CEO Rabbi Chanan Spivak, noting plans for the common areas are still in flux, though the media room is already fully equipped and in use. With the help of contractor and developer Jeffrey Weitz, the Kollel is creating a space where people can find meaningful connections to Judaism. Portland Kollel is in the same building on Capitol Highway between Hillsdale and Multnomah Village, but has moved into most of the space formerly occupied by the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. The common area will be overseen by the Kollel. The common area also includes a barista-style kitchenette and a media room to create podcasts, etc. Now the outreach and education nonprofit has added space – from 1,400 square feet to nearly 5,000, including about 2,000 square feet of common area it plans to offer at an affordable price for small events, pop-up businesses, and study and work rooms. Last year, Portland Kollel added staff (see page 8 in the Oct. Portland Kollel 2.0 is poised to launch more programs and resources for the community as soon as the world reopens. “They can pull a book off the shelf, study a little Torah and get on with their day.” So he has arranged books so people can come in and study on their own. “A major goal of the Kollel is to be welcoming,” says Rabbi O’Connor. PHOTO: Portland Kollel's Beit Knesset has expanded space for the library, which Rabbi Akiva O’Connor has been working to organize.
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