Nadene Goldfoot
Jews first arrived in Oregon in 1849, just years after the first Overland immigrations brought re-settlers to the region. The vast majority, like Goldsmith and Wasserman, were immigrants from German lands; but rather than coming directly to Oregon from Europe, most spent years elsewhere in the United States before following the Gold Rush west and establishing merchandising networks anchored in San Francisco and extending north to Oregon.
Although the first known Jewish religious service in Oregon took place in Jacksonville in celebration of the High Holidays in 1856, and there is evidence of holiday observances and life-cycle rituals in other towns across the state, no lasting congregations or other Jewish institutions emerged outside of Portland in the nineteenth century, aside from a burial society in Albany that served communities from Eugene to Salem. Jews who lived in in the Willamette Valley or in more remote parts of the state often traveled to Portland to celebrate High Holidays or life-cycle events. Such trips provided opportunities to conduct business and to meet potential marriage partners.
In 1869, Bernard Goldsmith, an immigrant Jew from Bavaria, was sworn in as the mayor of Portland. Two years later, he was succeeded in office by his friend, countryman, and coreligionist, Philip Wasserman, a former state legislator who would later serve on the city’s school board.
Many Jewish pioneers, arriving as single men, delayed marriage until after they had established businesses and traveled to San Francisco or even to New York or Europe to find Jewish partners. It was not until 1858, after the arrival of several Jewish women and the birth of the first child, that a Jewish congregation, Beth Israel, the reformed Temple, formed in Portland. In 1861, the congregation erected the state’s first synagogue, with seating for two hundred; its consecration attracted many non-Jewish Portlanders and the attention of the press.
With Portland’s Jewish population nearing 500 in 1869, a second congregation, Ahavai Sholom, was founded by a splinter group of eight men from Posen, Prussia. Ahavai Sholom would emerge as a Conservative congregation, striking a balance between orthodoxy and the modern innovations of Reform. Beth Israel, after considerable discord over religious practice in the 1860s and 1870s, gravitated toward Reform. By the end of the century, Beth Israel had built a grand, two-towered synagogue that seated 750 people, a fitting structure for a congregation associated with Portland’s Jewish political and business elite. Its status was further elevated by its rabbis, Stephen S. Wise, who served at Beth Israel from 1900 to 1906, and Jonah Wise, who served from 1907 to 1926. Both rose to national prominence.
Two more congregations were founded in Portland in the 1890s, Talmud Torah and Neveh Zedek, which formed to accommodate the Eastern European and Russian Jews who were then arriving in Oregon. My grandparents went to Ahavai Sholom but their children went to Neveh Zedek where I attended and wound up as a teacher, starting my teaching career. I attended from K in 1939 to about 1960.
In 1866, a Portland lodge of the B’nai B’rith formed.
Jewish communities in eastern Oregon towns such as Baker eventually followed a similar course. Although the decline in population followed broader boom-and-bust patterns, the exodus was accelerated among families that longed to participate in a larger Jewish community and provide their children with a Jewish education. Such was the case of the Durkheimer family, for example.
Julius Durkheimer ran stores in Baker, Prairie City, Canyon City, and Burns and served on the school board and then as mayor of Burns. Yet, fulfilling a promise to his wife, who longed to be closer to family and a Jewish community, they moved to Portland ten years after their marriage.
Between 1881 and 1924, the migration shifted from Central Europe eastward, with over two-and- one-half million East European Jews propelled from their native lands by persecution and the lack of economic opportunity. Most of those who arrived as part of this huge influx settled in cities where they clustered in districts close to downtowns, joined the working class, spoke Yiddish, and built strong networks of cultural, spiritual, voluntary, and social organizations. This period of immigration came to an end with the passage of restrictive laws in 1921 and 1924. Jewish emigration from Eastern Europe to the United States never again reached the levels that it did before 1920.
After the German Jews had arrived early on, the eastern European Jews arrived quite late. My father's parents came after first living in Idaho's mountain town of Council where they both landed somehow and then took the train to Portland in about 1906 after their 1st son was born September in 1906. This little kid standing will wind up owning the big cattle truck below.
My father's business grew from his being a kosher butcher in Portland's shop on SW 3rd and Lincoln St by 1935. He then formed his own business of Lincoln Wholesale Meats across the street with a slaughter house out of the city by 1953. Finally, he bought out a business on Colombia River Blvd and renamed it Silver Falls Meat Packing Co which happened before 1960. He was the main buyer of cattle so traveled all over Oregon to the auction Houses of cattle. Hermiston, Vale and LaGrande were places with cattle auctions. He held his cattle before shipping in Ontario, Oregon where he settled down with his wife in his 2nd home from home in about the 70s. The distance across the state is 6 hr 7 min (375.4 mi) via I-84 E.
Otherwise, I think most Jewish people congregated in Portland. We were the only Jews in Ontario, Oregon for most of the time, and had to drive to Boise, Idaho to attend the nearest synagogue. I had been living in Ontario as my parents were there, and taught 4th grade at Lindbergh Grade School. Mom did stumble on another Jewish lady there and they became fast friends. Her daughter was a counselor nearby, and she had a Jewish friend she worked with. I remember one year when we got together and made latkas, not just from potatoes but we did it with other veggies as well. Potatoes are the best, though.
I have to mention: Son took debate in high school and he and his Japanese partner went to Salem as winners and came in 2nd place from all of Oregon's high school debaters. His partner became a lawyer and when an adult, moved to Portland. This speaks highly of the schools in Ontario compared to Portland. Ontario had a small community of Japanese who were there from decisions during WWII and our government. They were great farmers and had beautiful gardens at their homes.
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