Welcome to Portland Israeli Folk Dance News -- PIFD News
Your resource for basic info for all the sessions and classes in the Portland metro area. 

This site is not regularly updated.

For the most current info for Portland area sessions and classes please visit: 

Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR" 

or contact the specific session leaders listed below.

Sunday afternoons at the Southwest Community Center with Sue & Rhona 

SWCC Beginners Class with Sue

Please contact the SW Community Center for the dates and to register for the beginners class at: 503-823-2840. 

Learn/review easy to pick up dances and the stories about them with Sue Wendel. Then stay for open dancing with Rhona Feldman. Questions about the class? Email Sue at pifdnews@gmail.com. Registration for the class is required. Please call the SWCC to register for the class at 503-823-2840.

OPEN DANCE with Rhona every Sunday at SWCC, 3:30-4:50  

Rhona Feldman leads the open dance drop-in session (class participants are welcome to stay for no extra charge). Open session includes a variety of dances and requests, and dances learned in class, so beginners get to dance with the welcoming seasoned dancers. 

For those attending the open dance session, no registration is needed: Drop-in is $6 for the open session, $5 seniors; just pay at the front desk. Questions about the open session? Please email Rhona at rhonaf@comcast.net

Location SWCC

We dance in the bright and beautiful dance studio at the Southwest Community Center, 6820 SW 45th Ave., Portland, OR 97219 - corner of SW Vermont St. and SW 45th Ave., at the northwest corner of Gabriel Park, 503-823-2840. Overflow parking is accoss Vermont in the big parking lot.

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Sunday evenings at the Water Tower with Donna 

Review & instruction 7 to 7:30, followed by open dancing, 7:30-10:30 pm 

Water Tower Dance Hall, 8936 SW 17th Ave, Portland.  

$7 at door

Questions? Email session leader Donna Cole at donna@donnacolestudio.com or pdxisraelidance@gmail.com 

Bring your water bottle and change into your dance shoes when you arrive (this protects our beautiful dance floors)

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Monday evenings at Leedy with Donna   

Review & instruction 7:30, followed by a mix of beginner, classic & new, intermediate level and partner dances, 7:30 - 10:30+. $7

Leedy Grange, 835 NW Saltzman Rd in Cedar Mill. (Just east of the Target shared parking lot.)

Questions? Email Donna Cole at donna@donnacolestudio.com or pdxisraelidance@gmail.com 

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Thursday evenings, Cafe Shalom, at the Water Tower with Allison 

Intermediate drop-in class 7-8 pm

Open dance 8 to 10 pm

Water Tower Dance Hall, 8936 SW 17th Ave, Portland.  $7 or $12 (for both)

Questions about WT or EJC dancing? Email session leader Allison Victor at allisuev@gmail.com

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Eastside Jewish Commons with Allison

Family dance for monthly dancing and newer dancers to learn easier dances. Email Allison for dates and details. Or check Cafe Shalom Facebook Page for details and link to register. 

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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN for B'YACHAD '24! Sept. 6-8. 

See B'YACHAD page this site for registration form.

A weekend of open dance and commeraderie for intermediate and advanced dancers.

Questions? Email Debbi Montrose at debbirm@aol.com to let her know you'll attend.

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Contact for local session leaders and teachers:

Donna Cole - donna@donnacolestudio.com, or pdxisraelidance@gmail.com 

Rhona Feldman - rhonaf@comcast.net, 

Debbi Montrose - B'YACHAD PNW annual dance week-end - debbirm@aol.com 

Allison Victor - allisuev@gmail.com

Sue Wendel - pifdnews@gmail.com

Please visit for most current info for all sessions and classes, and more on 

Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR

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About "PIFD News" website and the Facebook page "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR"

Portland Israeli Folk Dance News website, and Facebook page were started after the 40 years of dancing in Portland celebration back in 2013. 

PIFD News is a resource for basic Portland session/class info, and includes a B'YACHAD PNW page, 

Portland dance history, and bios of some of the dancers in Portland. PIFD News (https://sites.google.com/site/pifdnews) managed by Sue Wendel. It has only intermittent updates. 

The Facebook page, created by Candi Swan in 2013, is where to find the most current and timely announcements for all Portland sessions and classes and more. All Portland session leaders are admins for the FB page and can post announcements there at any time.

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New and returning dancers: 

Did you know that the Portland area has weekly sessions and classes Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays? Whether you haven't danced in a while (think summer camp or your college days), or want to try something new, we have it all covered. Each week dozens of dancers come together for friendship, exercise, and the joy of dance!

There is beginner and intermediate instruction, circle-line-couples dances, and most of all the joy of dancing, making new friends, and participating in this cultural treasure – over 50 years strong in Portland.

Please see Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR" for current news and info. Questions? Feel free to contact: Sue Wendel, session leader, instructor, and publisher, pifdnews@gmail.com if you have any questions. 

See details and history on this site. (Portland Israeli Folk Dance News: sites.google.com/site/pifdnews)

RECAP June 2023: Wow, what a fantastic evening of celebration of over 50 years of dance on June 24th, 2023. Six hours of dancing (and schmoozing) led by Rhona and Nancy, Allison, and Donna. People of all ages, levels, and locations were in attendance celebrating over 50 years of Israeli folk dancing in Portland, and Israel at 75. Made possible by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. See some photos here https://photos.app.goo.gl/a7poWUkHZpzYDEvE9

The evening demonstrated how everyone working together can pull off an event that everyone enjoyed. Specifically it took planners, session leaders, and many volunteers who helped with planning, publicity, food shopping, registration, set-up, decorations, food prep, day of registration, greeters, volunteer coordination, memory table, and clean-up to pull it all together. Thank you, thank you everyone!!

Here is the list of leaders, teachers and volunteers that we have to date. Please let me hear from you if we inadvertently left you off the volunteer list.

Session leaders honored:

Our Portland session leaders from 1972* to present:

Marna Kleinman Snyder 1972-73

Sue Wendel 1973-77, 2013-Present

Ann Fischer (z"l) with Dee Wolf and Bonnie Bliesner 1977 – 1985

Hoa Brown 1986-88

Dudi Amir 1988-2010

William Harvey 1997-2004

Allison Victor 1997-Present

Robin Bacon Shone 2002-2007

Avi Tayar 2002-Present

Donna Cole 2010-Present

Rhona Feldman 2018-Present

*and Bill Nelson early 1960s-Present

* Debbi Montrose, B'YACHAD weekend 2001-Present

2023 Event Sponsor

Jewish Federation of Greater Portland - Mark Blattner, President & CEO

2023 Planners, helpers, and current Session Leaders honored:

Rhona Feldman

Debbi Montrose

Sue Wendel

Nancy Fraser

Allison Victor

Donna Cole

Teachers honored:

Cindy Merrill

Debbi Montrose

Nancy Fraser

Avi Tayar

Melinda Holtzman

Shannon Cahill-Weisser

Anne Woods

David Rutiezer

Dorice Horenstein

Nurit Arton Kahana

Ruti Keenan

Rut Hen

Gary Fox

Heidi Vorst

Volunteers

JoAnna Wendel

Mimi Epstein

Melinda Holtzman

Bonnie Bliesner

Cindy Merrill

Lynne Chassin

Shoshana Siegal

Deborah Nye

Shannon Cahill-Weisser

Gary Fox

Clay Swartz

Elizabeth Didner Why We Dance 2023 interviews

Larry Bliesner

Peter Weiss & Sharah Keenan

Peter Wendel pre tech help

Sarah Coblens

Mia Birk

Gary Sherman

Lisa Dunning

Susan & Bill Nelson

Evie Oxman

Gail Schwartz

Sara Harwin

Susan Swank

Todd Coblens

Eran & Tami Guy

Kathy Voss

Richard Ginnis

Peter Wendel

It was an amazing event, thanks to you.

Questions about sessions and classes?

For current dance sessions, beginner and intermediate classes, and event info please visit Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR".

Just 5 easy questions to answer for the Why We Dance paragraph: (Elizabeth Didner is conducting interviews if you need a "nudge.") Email your paragraph and a photo to Sue at pifdnews@gmail.com

1. When did you start to dance?

2. Where? 

3. Why?

4. Favorite memory? (optional)

5. If you could describe IFD in one word, what would it be?

If you aren't in the 2013 version published 10 years ago (see below) for the 40th anniversary celebration, please submit a short paragraph and photo NOW to be published on PIFD News as they come in. 

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See the 2013 40th Anniversary of Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland picture album here