​Ahavath Achim has been Portland's Sephardic synagogue since 1916 when it was founded by members of the Rhodes and Turkish communities. Our congregation welcomes Jews of all backgrounds and observance levels (really!) and is proud to include Ashkenazim in addition to Sephardim. 

Whether you're looking for a traditional Sephardic community, reconnecting with your Sephardic heritage, or wanting to experience Sephardic ways for the first time, we look forward to being a part of your journey! Check out opportunities to get involved below, and contact us if you have any questions. 
Friday, April 10
​Updated time: 6:30p
$11 - $32 (RSVP required)

Community Shabbat Dinner

Held on the first Friday of every month September-May, our First Friday Shabbat is the perfect opportunity to connect with our larger community. Our kitchen committee prepares delicious authentic Sephardic recipes for you to enjoy.

Arvit/Kabbalat Shabbat services begin just before sunset, including Shabbat candle lighting. We offer traditional Sephardic tefillah in the style of the Jews of Rhodes and Turkey. 

RSVP is required. ​
Wednesday, April 15
​7:00p
Free (please RSVP)

Sephardic Film Festival

Closing screening of this festival.
​
Turkish Passport: A Holocaust Story With A Happy Ending (2011) tells the story of Turkish diplomats posted in European countries in WWII, who saved numerous Jews as they pulled them from concentration camps and trains. The diplomats not only saved Jews, but they saved others by issuing Turkish passports. Hear from survivors and diplomates testimonies’ regarding their moral courage as presented in documents, stories, and archival footage.
(70 min, French, Hebrew w/ Subtitles)
​
Discussion Leaders: Laurette and Betty Nacamulli

​Suggested Donation: $5
Thursday, April 16
​8:00p - 9:15p
​Free (please RSVP)

Zohar & Zhug

Join community member Dr. Yosef Rosen, Director of Jewish Life & Learning at the Jewish Federation of Portland, for mystical learning and delicious spicy zhug (a yemenite hot sauce).

​Whether you’re well-versed in Kabbalah or just curious to taste these mystical texts (and the zhoug), you’re warmly invited. Come deepen your Jewish journey in the company of seekers, spice-lovers, and kabbalistic wisdom.
​
​​Suggested Donation $5.
New date: Sunday, April 19
​11:00a - 2:00p
$18 - $25

(New!)
​Sephardi Sundays

Every other month, we’ll have a discussion with living members of a Sephardic diaspora group to learn more about their experiences, and share a home-cooked meal prepared by our kitchen committee featuring recipes shared by the featured guests. The meal will be accompanied by live music of the guest’s diasporic country of origin, and we will also occasionally engage in a craft or other cultural activity from that tradition.

Registration required.
Weekly Shabbat Mornings
​10:30a

Women's Torah Study

Free, no registration required. 
​​
Open to experienced and beginner learners alike, join us every month for a women's only Torah study focusing on the parashat of the week. Join community members Mrs. Elyse Berkovitch and Mrs. Aiden Kugelman-Samba for meaningful conversation, deep insights, and connection with the women in our community.
​Weekly Shabbat Mornings
​12:30p following Kiddush lunch

Sephardic Foundations

Free, no registration required.

Open to experienced and beginner learners alike, join us every week to learn about the foundations of Sephardic thought. Join community member Mati McKenzie to dive into the foundations of the rich Torah learning traditions of the Sephardim, and gain a new level of understanding of what it means to be Jewish

Often used to describe the ethnic and cultural character of Jews following the expulsion from Spain in 1492, Sephardic also describes the distinct intellectual tradition of the Jews across Southwest Asia, North Africa and the Mediterranean which emerged in the Muslim-ruled Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) from the Babylonian/Geonic lineage of Torah thought. Distinct in form and function from the widely-spread Ashkenazi forms of learning, the Sephardic intellectual tradition is fiercely rational, yet welcomes relationships with science, mathematics, and the natural world as an act of devotion and spirituality.

Join Portland's Sephardic community for all Jews.
Enjoyed your experience and want to become a member? 
​6686 SW Capitol Hwy. Portland, OR 97219
Mailing address: 5150 SW 85th Ave. Portland, OR 97225
Phone: 503.227.0010
[email protected]
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