The Oregon Jewish Community Foundation’s Endowment Book of Life serves to collect, celebrate and share the personal thoughts and life experiences that motivated our community’s legacy donors to leave an after-lifetime gift or create an endowment to benefit our Jewish community.

The Book of Life is an evolving collection and new donor stories will be added on a continuing basis, providing us with a visible way of honoring these generous individuals since legacy, or after-lifetime giving, is somewhat intangible.

The personal messages in the book not only express the donors’ commitment to Jewish values and heritage but they serve to pass on traditions and legacies from one generation to the next. It is in this way that the Book of Life illustrates the Jewish concept of l’dor v’dor.

The Book of Life has three components: a physical book that contains donors’ stories and photographs, an interactive display that presents the donors statements and photographs in a searchable fashion and this website that also shares donor testimonials and images. Both the book and the touchscreen display are located in the lobby of the Mittleman Jewish Community Center in southwest Portland.

OJCF’s Endowment Book of Life is a public tribute to name and thank donors who have made a legacy commitment to support our Jewish community and to inspire individuals today and in years to come to follow in their footsteps and make a legacy gift.