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.
See article about Israeli folk dancing in the 8/27/25 Jewish Review. It starts of page 5 jr
Last update Summer 2025
WHERE TO ISRAELI FOLK DANCE
IF YOU'RE NEW OR RETURNING TO DANCE, for the most current session and class details PLEASE CONFIRM WITH DANCE LEADERS LISTED BELOW.
Sunday afternoons at the Southwest Community Center with Sue & Rhona
SWCC Beginner & Intermediate Classes with Rhona and Sue. Registration required.
Please contact the SW Community Center for the dates and to register for the beginners class at: 503-823-2840.
Learn/review easy and intermediate dances and the stories about them in split class as needed, with Rhona Feldman and Sue Wendel. Then stay for open dancing for all. Ages 14 and up. Questions about the class? Email rhonaf@comcast.net. Registration for a class is required. Please call the SWCC for dates, and to register for the class at 503-823-2840.
Open dance is drop-in $6/$5 seniors. The drop-in fee is good for the whole center's classes and activities all day.
PIFD News Web: sites.google.com/site/pifdnews
FB: Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR
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 across Vermont in the big parking lot.
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Sunday evenings at the Water Tower with Donna
Review & instruction, 7 pm followed by open dancing until 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)
Web: Rokdim PDX https://www.israelidanceportland.com/
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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? To confirm times, email Donna Cole at donna@donnacolestudio.com or pdxisraelidance@gmail.com
Web: Rokdim PDX https://www.israelidanceportland.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, monthly with Allison
Family dance for monthly dancing and newer dancers to learn easier dances. Email Allison, allisuev@gmail.com, for dates and details. Or check Cafe Shalom Facebook Page for details and link to register.
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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 Facebook "Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland, OR" for the most current info.
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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 50 YEARS dance celebration in 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".
2025 - this is an ongoing request - 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. It will be published on this site's "Why We Dance" page upon permission.
When did you start to dance?
Where?
Why?
Favorite memory? (optional)
If you could describe IFD in one word, what would it be?
If you aren't in the 2013 version published in print 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 for 50 years and more.
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See the 2013 40th Anniversary of Israeli Folk Dancing in Portland picture album here
Portland DANCE NOTES -- IFD IN THE NEWS! CLICK ON ARROW TO EXPAND
Jewish Review 3-1-23 at left. "Celebrate Israel with folk dancing"
Jewish Review 1-18-23 at left. "Share a Story of 50 Years of Folk Dancing."
See Featured IFD article in the 8/4/21 Jewish Review! https://cdn.fedweb.org/fed-29/2/JR080421.pdf
Dancing outdoors at the MAC. Article in the Jewish Review 4/27/21 https://www.jewishportland.org/jewishreview
See the article about virtual folk dancing in Portland, OR in the May 13th edition of the Jewish Review https://cdn.fedweb.org/fed-29/2/JR%2520May%252013%2520final1.pdf
See this article about virtual dancing around the world in Tablet (thanks Rhona for sending) https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/israeli-folk-dance-during-pandemic
I am excited to share JOTV's just released Episode 4 The Curious and Creative, which features Israeli folk dancing (starts at 3:15). I am so grateful to all the dancers who attended that night of fliming! And thank you to the JOTV team for featuring this fun and cultural activity as part of Epsiode 4 -- as they artistically highlight our love of Israeli dance for their viewers to learn about and enjoy.
Jewish Oregon TV Epidsode 4 The Curious and Creative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ztsp7l5jxk&feature=youtu.be
2008 article
