Portland writer Polina Olsen will be here to present her book Stories from Jewish Portland, published by The History Press. This collection of Ms. Olsen’s “Looking Back” columns from The Jewish Review contains the stories of a culture whose roots stretch back to the gold rush, whose heart is in “the old neighborhood” of South Portland and the memories of its residents and whose identity is alive and well in synagogues and community institutions. The author recounts the history of this richly layered community through letters, interviews, and stories. It is a valuable guide to help explore the lives of early settlers brought by opportunity and New York’s Industrial Removal Office, to walk the streets of the old neighborhood (alive with basketball games and junk peddlers) and to learn the proud history of institutions like the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland, which continues to this day.