Jews have been Mainers for over 150 years. Come explore and celebrate the Jewish community’s contributions to
Maine’s history as well as contemporary life.
Welcome to the Maine Jewish Museum, located in Portland’s East End neighborhood. The museum is housed within the restored Etz Chaim Synagogue, a turn-of-the-century house of worship. The museum has been the venue for contemporary art exhibitions for the past six years. These exhibitions, which change every six weeks, feature established, Jewish-connected, and Maine-connected artists. The museum also houses Jack Montgomery’s photo exhibit of Holocaust survivors who settled in Maine as well as a permanent exhibition of Maine Jewish History, and the Maine Jewish Hall of Fame Presented By Dorothy Suzi Osher in memory of Alfred Osher created in 2018. Our newest Exhibit , Maine Synagogues Past and Present, will open this spring!
Celebrate and honor the contributions and diversity of Maine’s Jewish immigrants in the context of the American experience. Through exhibits, programming, and dialogue the Museum seeks to build bridges of appreciation and understanding with people of all backgrounds.
As the before and after photos in this online exhibit show, the small but mighty Maine Jewish community ensured that the fire was but a chapter in the Maine Jewish Museum’s story, not the end of our story. For this, we are eternally grateful. May the fire inside us always burn brighter than the fire around us.
This year’s Annual Appeal is underway and will celebrate and honor our Curator In-Residence Nancy Davidson who will celebrate her 10th anniversary as Curator next month! Nancy has put the Museum on the arts map both locally and regionally.
Additionally, an anonymous donor has agreed to fully match the first $15,000 of contributions to the Annual Appeal, which means that your gift will be matched dollar for dollar up to $15,000!
Maine Jewish Museum changes art exhibitions every 6 weeks, featuring Jewish artists with a Maine connection.
Permanent collections featuring: Maine Holocaust Survivors, History of Maine Jews, and Famous people attending Maine summer camps.
The Maine Jewish Hall of Fame was created in 2018 to bestow recognition on outstanding Jewish leaders from throughout the state who have brought distinction and honor to the State of Maine or beyond.
