About Shiva Northwest

Our mission is to provide everything you need for a loved one’s shiva. Dr. Sharon Pollin and her team handle all elements of the shiva with professionalism, compassion, and experience. Our concierge service alleviates logistical burdens and helps you create a customized shiva. We serve all streams of Jewish practice including those affiliated or unaffiliated with a congregation.

We are able to teach about burial customs and liaise with Rabbis & funeral homes. We guide home preparation, food, catering, donations, on-site and visitor management, appointments, obituary writing, educational resources, follow up and thank you cards, and more.

A Bit About Me

I have been a Jewish and secular teacher and school leader over the course of my career and have a background in the hospitality industry as well. I earned my doctoral degrees later in life from Northeastern University and Hebrew College, both in Boston. Our Pollin family have been Portlanders for more than 5 decades; my brothers and sister and I grew up at Congregation Beth Israel and Portland’s community Hebrew school. I am mom to three grown children who were raised at Congregation Shaarie Torah, and I’ve been blessed with an adored daughter in law, two delicious grandchildren, and a loving extended family.

I’m an active volunteer, and currently co-chair the Women’s Giving Circle of the Jewish Federation of Portland and sing weekly with the Songbirds at the Harold Schnitzer Center for Living. I have served as a mentor for young professionals and am a Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies Mahloket Matters Fellow, an initiative that teaches respectful conflict engagement skills.

Regular yoga practice helps to keep things supple and grounded, and I am a walker, swimmer, and reader. Music fills me and I regularly attend Oregon Symphony concerts, play a bit of guitar, and can still be found dancing to the bands of my youth.

My favorite blessing is the She’hechyanu, a b’racha that honors and expresses the wonders of our lives.

My Shiva Story

Just a few years ago my beloved father, may his memory be for a blessing, passed from this world. It was my honor to help plan his funeral and subsequent shiva, the last mitzvah I would ever do for my father. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding things I’ve ever done. As I embraced those of our wise and ancient rituals that deeply resonated for our family, we felt supported through that vulnerable time. The conversations my father and I had prior to his death, the poignant beauty of his funeral, and the customs of sitting shiva helped me to grieve, supported by community and tradition.

Some months later I recognized that I am uniquely positioned to help others prepare for and go through one of the most fraught moments we humans will ever experience. I have been a learner, teacher, and leader in Jewish education for decades, and I have additional background in the hospitality industry. I and the Shiva Northwest team are here to provide personalized support for you and your family as you navigate this unique time. Shiva traditions of all iterations are designed to provide structure for our mourning and consolation from our community.

It is truly my privilege to help you create a shiva that reflects who you are, your relationship with the one who has passed away, and to make the experience one that allows you to be where you need to be without the worry of details.

May their memory be for a blessing

I and the Shiva Northwest team are here to provide
personalized support for you and your family as you navigate this unique time.