Ann Goldeen

For the first time in more than a half century, the Jewish community in the Lower Columbia region is making plans for a new congregation.

A permanent location has not been decided, but the congregation has a name, Beit Salmon Congregation, and plans for upcoming holidays, including Passover in April.

Its mission is to enhance the cultural, educational and spiritual life of its participants and to foster a vibrant, diverse and intergenerational cohesive Jewish community.

Beit Salmon is a play on words to recognize the rich fishing history in the region, but also Jewish heritage with “Beit,” which means house in Hebrew.

Beit Salmon President Ann Goldeen said there used to be a synagogue in Astoria in the early 1960s, but it disappeared and nothing took its place.

Goldeen estimates about 70 Jewish people live around the Lower Columbia region. They either recognize their heritage at their homes or travel to services in Portland, she said.

Over the past 24 years, a Shabbat Group in Seaside has met one Friday a month for six months out of the year. The group honoring Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, has been the only consistent Jewish service in the Columbia-Pacific area.

Those interested in the new Beit Salmon Congregation are encouraged to attend a meeting at 11 a.m. Sunday in the Fellowship Hall of Peace Lutheran Church in Astoria.

Allie Evans, treasurer of Beit Salmon, said the Sunday meeting will be an opportunity for people to share their ideas and give input about the newly formed congregation.

“(The congregation) is just to enhance everyone’s lives in whatever way they want that to happen,” Evans said. “For some people, it’s just about the food. Our mission is to embrace all of that.”

The idea behind a new congregation has been talked about casually for years, but it reached a fever pitch last fall at a Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year, celebration in Astoria.

Los Angeles-based Rabbi Abram Goodstein, Goldeen’s son-in-law, attended the celebration at her home and noticed a crowd of about 30 people all seemingly willing to organize.

“He said ‘You know this community could be more. Do you want to be more?’” Goldeen said.

Rabbi Abram is planning to spend two months this summer in Astoria helping the group get off the ground. He will hold services, teach classes, write grants and help the group formalize.

The group is fundraising on a crowdfunding website, www.giveforward.com, to help cover Rabbi Abram’s expenses over the summer.

“This whole push to organize more and have more of an increase in presence, it’s been a continuous snowball,” Evans said. “Enough people got the ball rolling. We are at the point where we can set it up and actually have a congregation.”

Looking toward the future, the Beit Salmon organizers see the congregation as a place for not only worship, but also fellowship. They see a place for book groups, movie nights and Hebrew school over the summers. The new space, when it is found, could host bar mitzvahs or have a mikvah, for ritual baths.

While Judaism is based in religion, Evans said, the congregation recognizes it is also cultural. Those who do not associate to Judaism religiously, but were raised in the culture will have a place to connect with their heritage through food, games and holidays.

“We are embracing the diversity and enhancing everyone’s lives through it,” Evans said.