Past Programs and Events

Sunday, December 15, 2024
2:00 – 4:00pm

Cozy up and settle into the Season of Lights with poets Anna Wrobel and Jim Donnelly hosting a reading in MJM’s chapel. We begin with featured poet and beloved English professor, Kevin Sweeney, followed by Open Poetry Hour. Snacks, beverages, chocolates and social gathering will enhance our sharing of the light through words of insight and beauty.

Thursday, December 5, 2024
6:00 – 7:00pm

Local photographer Don Peterson will be in the Jody Sataloff Pavilion to talk about his current exhibition, “Echoes of the Other.” Peterson has actively pursued both photography and painting in his creative practice. Image: “Mackworth Squall”

Sunday, December 1, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Looking for a creative and educational way to kick off the holiday with your child(ren)? Look no further!

Erica S. Perl’s acclaimed children’s book, The Ninth Night of Hanukkah, puts a fresh twist on a Hanukkah celebration: celebrating a ninth night with new neighbors and friends! In this joyous and interactive program, veteran elementary school teacher, music instructor, and MJM Docent Shelley Wilcox will bring The Ninth Night of Hanukkah to life through storytelling, singing, and movement. Open to all elementary school children accompanied by an adult(s) — you do not have to be Jewish to join the fun, and you do not need prior musical experience or preparation to attend. Youthful excitement, smiles, and laughter guaranteed, and you may just become inspired to start a “shamash night” tradition of your own!

Monday, November 25, 2024
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Join us for a flower arranging workshop to create an eye-catching centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. Nancy Stedman of Little River Flower Farm will take you through step by step using colorful seasonal flowers in rich holiday tones arranged in a vase. You will leave with a masterpiece that reflects your personal style and is worthy of your feast!

Seasonal refreshments will be served.

Friday, November 22, 2024
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Teatime with sparkle!

As part of our TWO-DAY JEWELRY POP-UP SALE, we’re hosting an Afternoon Tea & Jewelry Party. Sip tea with friends, meet our guest jewelers, and take home some new bijoux just for you! Proceeds benefit our featured artisans and the Maine Jewish Museum.

image: jewelry by Lisa Gent

Thursday, November 21, 2024
5:00 PM -7:00 PM

Sip some wine and try on some treasures!

As part of our TWO-DAY JEWELRY POP-UP SALE, we’ll keep the doors open at the museum after hours for a fun and festive Jewelry Happy Hour. Bring your friends, chat with our guest jewelers, and leave with something shiny and new! Proceeds benefit our featured jewelers and the Maine Jewish Museum.

image: jewelry by Laura Givertz

Thursday, November 21, 2024
12:00 PM -4:00 PM

Friday, November 22, 2024
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Something just for you!

We’re hosting a TWO-DAY JEWELRY POP-UP SALE. Special guest jewelers Lisa Gent, Laura Givertz, and Beth Kahn Sugarman will be in the Fineberg Room to share their creations. Buy some sparkle and support our work! Proceeds benefit our featured artisans and the Maine Jewish Museum.

image: jewelry by Beth Kahn Sugarman

ARTIST TALK: YVONNE MAIDEN

Thursday, November 7, 2024
5:00 pm  7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Sunday, November 3, 2024

Thursday, October 31, 2024

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Fineberg Family Room

Join artists Penelope Jones and Deborah Klotz for a concluding reception for their collaborative exhibition, “Overlay,” which closes November 1. Light refreshments served.

Sunday, October 27, 2024
2:00 PM
RUNTIME: 90 MINUTES

Part storytelling, part live music, The Nightingale’s Sonata is a wholly unique narrated concert experience. Accompanied by two acclaimed musicians and the projection of over 100 historical photographs, author Thomas Wolf recounts the life of Lea Luboshutz, the first internationally known female violinist, her incomparable Stradivarius violin (the “Nightingale”), and her multi-generational musical family, of which he is a member. The fascinating narrative tells the story behind his award-winning book, The Nightingale’s Sonata, revealing the family’s personal stories while sketching the history of classical music in the 20th century. Against the odds of pogroms, the Russian Revolution, and the Holocaust, this Jewish family triumphed again and again. Through this adversity, family members were linked by a remarkable piece of music, César Franck’s sonata for violin and piano, which is performed during the concert by Boston Symphony violinist Lucia Lin and Russian pianist Sergey Schepkin.

Thursday, October 10, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Maine and Paris-based photographer Ruth Sylmor will be in the Spiegel Gallery to talk with visitors about her current MJM exhibition, Marais Children of the Shoah & Aujourd’hui a Paris.” 

Sunday, October 6, 2024
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

As we approach the first anniversary of the October 7 massacre, we invite you to join us for a tribute to our loved ones held hostage through poetry, music, and dance. The program will begin with a final opportunity to experience Camille and Anya Davidson’s Stitch Them Home yellow ribbon exhibition, featuring yellow ribbons lovingly hand-stitched by diverse Maine community members in solidarity with the innocent civilians still held hostage in Gaza.

Sunday, September 29, 2024
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Join us for a sit-down, three-course vegetarian Mexican-Jewish dinner with wine pairings at the Maine Jewish Museum featuring recipes from the soon-to-be-released Sabor Judío: The Jewish Mexican Cookbook. Sabor Judío author Margaret E. Boyle will be on hand to answer all your cooking questions, and autographed copies of Sabor Judío are available for purchase.

Sunday, September 29, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Join us for the book launch of Sabor Judío: The Jewish Mexican Cookbook and meet the author, Bowdoin professor Margaret E. Boyle! Sabor Judío celebrates the delicious fusion of two culinary traditions, Jewish and Mexican. More than “just” a cookbook, it is also a vibrant history of Jewish immigration to Mexico from 1492 to the present. It explains how flavors and dishes evolved in Mexican and Jewish kitchens and how they fused into a distinct cuisine, mainly by the labor of Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Mizrahi, and converso women. Written with joy and verve and featuring 100 deeply personal recipes, this lavishly illustrated book demonstrates how cooking and eating connect Jewish Mexicans across places and generations.

Autographed copies of the cookbook will be available for purchase.

Sunday, September 22, 2024
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Maine Jewish Museum

• Current PPS students and alumni will share their experiences
• We’ll have a chance to reminisce, ask questions, and share light refreshments

Registration is free but required:

Register

Sunday, September 22, 2024
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Maine Jewish Museum

Writer/artist Elizabeth Michelman will moderate a discussion with exhibiting artists Penelope Jones and Deborah Klotz about their current exhibition, Overlay. Light refreshments served.

Thursday, September 19, 2024
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
At a private home

It’s baaaaack – with a new twist! The beloved MJM X Hadassah Book Group is now combining forces with Rimon, the new Portland Women’s Jewish Group at the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine!

This month, we will be meeting at a Book Group member’s private home to discuss The Girl from the Garden by Parnaz Foroutan, a suspenseful novel of desire, obsession, power, and vulnerability, in which a crisis of inheritance leads to the downfall of a wealthy family of Persian Jews in the early twentieth century. Beautifully crafted and inspired by the author’s own family history, the novel has been praised by the Jewish Book Council for being “as much [of] an emotional journey as it is a timely and compelling examination of human nature.”

Co-Sponsored by The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine and Hadassah

Thursday, September 19, 2024
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Join us as author Arthur J. Magida discusses his book Two Wheels to Freedom: The Story of a Young Jew, Wartime Resistance, and a Daring Escape.

Two Wheels to Freedom by Arthur J. Magida is the extraordinary true story of a young Jewish art student who not just survived but resisted and saved hundreds of lives all while retaining his infectious zeal for life.

Tuesday, September 10, 2024
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

They’re baaaaack… in their new configuration as a quartet again! Join the DaPonte String Quartet at MJM with new violinist, Philipp Ellsner, in a performance of Mozart’s Quartet in Bb Major, K. 589 and Beethoven’s epic Quartet in Eb Major, Op. 127. A soulful way to segue into the shoulder season!

Sunday, September 8, 2024
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Join us for a celebration and reception in honor of the winners of MJM’s inaugural “I’m a Jewish Mainer” Youth Art Contest! Our inaugural competition encouraged young people throughout the state to reflect on their experiences growing up Jewish in Maine and express their Maine Jewish pride through art… and our winners delivered and then some! Don’t miss this opportunity to meet the newest generation of Jewish artists and admire their work on exhibition at the Museum. Light refreshments will be served.

Wednesday, September 4 2024
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

Travel back in time to 17th-century Italy and the forgotten world of Ferdinando de Medici’s Livorno… all during your lunch break!

Thursday – August 29, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Tuesday, August 20, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Hannaford Hall, 04101

A STORY OF RESILIENCE, SURVIVAL, MUSIC & HOPE

Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring 99 -year-old Holocaust survivor Saul Dreier, a living testament to resilience and strength.

At 14, Saul endured the horrors of World War II, surviving ghettos, labor camps, and concentration camps, emerging as the sole survivor of his family. Despite unimaginable adversity, his passion for music sustained him, leading to the founding of the Holocaust Survivor Band—a symbol of the healing power of music and human resilience.

Experience Saul’s incredible journey as he shares his story and plays music alongside the band.

Thursday, August 15, 2024
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Join writer Dr. Judith Goldstein as she discusses the multidimensional work and life of William Zorach–in Maine and New York. Dr. Goldstein, who wrote an essay about the works by William Zorach currently on view at the Maine Jewish Museum, will be at the museum to tour and answer questions about the pieces with guests after her talk.

Thursday – August 8, 2024
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Back by popular demand for the second year in a row! A fabulous evening awaits: we invite you to join us for a night of fashion, food, and fun to celebrate our diverse community through the stories we wear. A runway show highlighting Maine Jewish, immigrant, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and differently abled fashion designers and models will be amplified by an internationally inspired cocktail and small plates hour, live music by the multinational and multigenerational Bondeko , an exciting auction, and a decadent dessert display for a grand finale and sweet ending. Save the date and join us for this cultural extravaganza in support of the Maine Jewish Museum!

More Information

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities

Join the Host Committee

Thursday – August 8, 2024
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Back by popular demand for the second year in a row! A fabulous evening awaits: we invite you to join us for a night of fashion, food, and fun to celebrate our diverse community through the stories we wear. A runway show highlighting Maine Jewish, immigrant, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and differently abled fashion designers and models will be amplified by an internationally inspired cocktail and small plates hour, live music by the multinational and multigenerational Bondeko , an exciting auction, and a decadent dessert display for a grand finale and sweet ending. Save the date and join us for this cultural extravaganza in support of the Maine Jewish Museum!

More Information

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities

Join the Host Committee

Thursday, August 1, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Join us as we unveil our pop-up exhibition in solidarity with the 116 innocent civilians still held hostage in Gaza. Guest Curators Camille and Anya Davidson will give a brief presentation and q&a. Light refreshments will be served. A moving experience is guaranteed.

June – August 2024

There is nothing quite like summer in Maine, from picture-perfect sunny days to beach walks to ocean breezes to dining al fresco. The summer is also when the Maine Jewish Museum Garden — one of only two public gardens in the East End — bursts into glorious bloom. “In the Garden” series is back by popular demand, to offer a come-to-one-or-come-to-all program series, with (weather permitting) outdoor events for all ages and interests. We look forward to taking time to smell the roses with you!

CRIBBAGE FOR BEGINNERS
.. IN THE GARDEN!
Mondays
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
June 3, 10, 17, 24, 2024

More information

DRAWING WORKSHOP WITH ADELINE GOLDMINC-TRONZO
… IN THE GARDEN!
Sunday, June 23, 2024
2:00 pm- 3:30 pm

More information

WIRE TREE SCULPTURE WORKSHOP
… IN THE GARDEN!
Thursday, June 27, 2024
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

More information

WATERCOLOR FLORALS WORKSHOP
… IN THE GARDEN!
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

More information

BREATHWORK CLASS WITH LISA SILVERMAN
… IN THE GARDEN!
Wednesday, July 18, 2024
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

More information

BEADING WORKSHOP: MAKE YOUR OWN WILDFLOWER BRACELET
… IN THE GARDEN!
Monday, July 22, 2024
4:00 pm -6:00 pm

More information

THRIFT FLIP
… IN THE GARDEN!
Postponed

More information

FLORAL ARRANGEMENT WORKSHOP
… IN THE GARDEN!
Postponed

More information

Thursday, July 25, 2024
4:00 pm –5:00 pm

Guest Curator and Portland-based artist Lin Lisberger discusses the work of sculptors and painters included in the current exhibition, Constructed (Disquiet). Light refreshments served.

Tuesday, July 23, 2024
7:00 pm

MJM is honored to be collaborating with Chabad of Maine and the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine on this moving and important event.

Listen to the eyewitness account of a hero who saved many lives during the October 7 attack on Southern Israel, and hear first-hand about the events unfolding since. Yaron Bouskila is a retired officer and commander who received the 2017 Presidential Award for Excellence after being wounded in combat. On October 7, he answered the call to action and saved many lives, and as a National Security Expert and an insightful TV commentator, has been speaking and sharing his story around the world.

Come together with the community to hear from Yaron and pray for ultimate peace in the world.

Sunday, July 21, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Artist Joyce Ellen Weinstein will be in the Spiegel Gallery to greet guests and talk about her current MJM exhibition, “All About Water.” Light refreshments served.

Thursday – July 11, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Thursday, June 20 @ noon – Thursday, June 30 @ noon

Help support MJM’s art exhibition program and operations by bidding on great art!

Starting tomorrow at noon, bid online for a special illustration (detail pictured) by renowned American painter and watercolorist Robert Andrew Parker, along with other exciting works by artists including Dahlov Ipcar, Cabot Lyford, Joel Babb, Katherine Bradford, Harold Garde, and more!

Watch this website, emails, Facebook and Instagram for the live auction link beginning Thursday at noon.

Thursday – June 27, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and view this new group exhibition, guest curated by sculptor and wood carver Lin Lisberger.

at Maine Jewish Museum
Thursday, June 20, 2024
7:30pm

A special program comprised of Bach, Buxtehude, and Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. This concert features the Viola da Gamba, the Well Tempered Clavier, Book I, and three delightful cantatas from Buxtehude, a major influence on J.S. Bach.

Tickets & More Information

at Maine Jewish Museum
Thursday, June 13, 2024
7:00 – 8:30pm

Right to left or left to right? Composers of the Jewish Italian Renaissance had to navigate between cultures, classes, and languages. Salomone Rossi (1570 – 1630)’s seminal work, “Songs of Solomon,” is the first published collection to set polyphonic music to a Hebrew text. Explore how Rossi and other Jewish composers of the Italian Renaissance challenged notions of cultural identity and used music to create understanding between two segregated cultures. Featuring Eudaimonia, a period-instrument ensemble that uses its musical work to uplift social and humanitarian causes.

Tickets & More Information

Thursday – June 6, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

MJM and the JCA proudly present an inspiring evening of new Jewish music and powerful song with Molly Bajgot. Molly will share music from her new first full-length album, Revelry, new tunes for Jewish liturgy and original songs of hope. Molly’s soulful voice and alluring melodies bridge the realms of Jewish, folk, and devotional music. Her orientation to community building and prayer shines through in her musical leadership. Together, we’ll create a sacred and songful space to revel in our aliveness, our grief, our healing, and our work for collective liberation.

Thursday, May 30, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Maine artist Andy Rosen will be in the Fineberg Room to meet guests and share details about his current exhibition, “Don’t Get Too Precious.” Light refreshments served.

Thursday, May 23, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Join us in the Jody Sataloff History and Art Pavilion as we celebrate the life and work of artist and MJM friend Ted Arnold, while viewing his current MJM exhibition, “As He Saw It … Then.”

Sunday, May 19, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Maine artist Whitney River will be in the gallery to talk about her current MJM exhibition, “On Belonging.” Light refreshments served.

Hadassah X MJM Book Group
Tuesday, May 14
10:00 am – 11:30 am

For the last book group session of the season, we will be meeting to discuss Susan J. Eischeid’s Mistress of Life and Death: The Dark Journey of Maria Mandl, Head Overseer of the Women’s Camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau… and the author will be on-site to join the discussion and answer your questions! As an additional bonus, accomplished Maine singer and musician, Susan Storey Frank, will join us to sing two songs that Eischeid (herself a renowned oboist) discovered in her research for the book.

Thursday, May 9, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Calling all youth artists – showcase your masterpieces for a chance to win!

Announcing the Maine Jewish Museum’s 2024 K-12 I’m a Jewish Mainer Youth Art Contest! Our inaugural competition encourages young people throughout the state to reflect on their experiences growing up Jewish in Maine and express their Maine Jewish pride through art. Students in grades K – 12 are invited to unleash their creativity, unveil their artistic talent, and explore new media for a chance to have their work exhibited at the Maine Jewish Museum!

Monday, April 22
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Don’t get stuck serving Manischewitz this Pesach! Thanks to the generosity of local wine enthusiast, Dr. Peter Rubin, we have a LIMITED number of premium kosher Pesach wines (most from Eretz Yisroel) for sale at MJM.

Sunday, April 14, 2024
2:00 pm

Join Pam Leo, the Book Fairy, as she reads aloud One Horse Farm by Dahlov Ipcar. Following story time, wander the museum with your children to view the Dahlov Ipcar art currently on exhibit. Each child in attendance will receive their own copy of One Horse Farm to bring home.

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Wednesday, April 10, 2024
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm (doors open at 5:00 pm)

Get inspired for Pesach with this in-depth exploration of charoset and a curated wine pairing experience at MJM!  Recipes for charoset have been passed down from generation to generation, crossed oceans, survived wars, and added sweetness to the Passover holiday table in the most challenging of times. And while American Jews, many of whom are of Ashkenazi descent, think of apples, nuts, and Manischewitz wine when it comes to charoset, Jewish cultures in the diaspora have taken this unique culinary tradition in many different directions to And while American Jews, who are often of Ashkenazi descent, think of apples, nuts, and Manischewitz wine when it comes to charoset, Jewish cultures in the diaspora have taken this unique culinary tradition in many different directions.

In this culinary journey, we will introduce you to the flavors of charoset from around the world, including Persia, Surinam, India, and post-modern Europe, and stretch the boundaries of what charoset can be. A savory soup? A salsa? A deconstructed salad? A next-level dessert? MJM Executive Director and former award-winning restaurateur and caterer Dawn LaRochelle will show you how, with a few playful twists and creative liberties, the possibilities are endless!

Sunday – April 7, 2024
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Rose Woods Dance Collaborative (RWDC) is a performance art-focused dance theatre company founded by New England dancers and choreographers, Jenna Gross and Jillian MacLaughlin. Their work approaches social commentary through pantomime-inspired comedy and absurdism. The main focus of their choreographic work is to make serious topics into jokes and to take jokes seriously. Jenna and Jillian strive to bring New England comedic levity to dance. Their work brings together the excitement of full-bodied athleticism while maintaining dramatic physicality.

More Information

Sunday – April 7, 2024
1:00-2:00pm

Rose Woods Dance Collaborative (RWDC) is a performance art-focused dance theatre company founded by New England dancers and choreographers, Jenna Gross and Jillian MacLaughlin. Their work approaches social commentary through pantomime-inspired comedy and absurdism. The main focus of their choreographic work is to make serious topics into jokes and to take jokes seriously. Jenna and Jillian strive to bring New England comedic levity to dance. Their work brings together the excitement of full-bodied athleticism while maintaining dramatic physicality.

More Information

Friday, March 29, 2024
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

For the culmination of Women’s History Month and in conjunction with MJM’s Delet Program, “History, Memory, and Poetry: Women in the Holocaust” honors the wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters in Nazi ghettos, death camps, and Jewish resistance groups. Delet Core Consultant Anna Wrobel, a celebrated local historian, teacher, and poet, weaves poetry and family memoir together in historical context to illuminate the collective past and present, with the aim of creating a compassionate, humane, and peace-filled future for humankind. Open to the general public and to Maine middle and high school classes.

Registration is free but required.

Thursday, March 28, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

In conjunction with the exhibition, “Father and Daughter: William Zorach and Dahlov Ipcar,” MJM presents a panel discussion about beloved Maine artist Dahlov Ipcar. Guest curator Rachel Walls will moderate the discussion and panelists include art critic, author and poet Carl Little and author Pat Davidson Reef.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024
10:00 am – 11:30 am

For the second year in a row, Hadassah and MJM are combining forces in our joint Book Group. This month, we will be meeting at a Book Group member’s private home to discuss Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life – in Judaism by Sarah Hurwitz, former head speechwriter for Michelle Obama. Here All Along, a finalist for two National Jewish Book Awards and for the 2020 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, explores Hurwitz’s birthright as a Jew and the timeless and valuable life lessons she learned along the way.

Thursday, March 21, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Please join us for a conversation with photography collectors Steve and Judy Halpert. Their collection encompasses works ranging from vintage to contemporary, many never seen before.

Sunday, March 17, 2024
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Join translator Mark S. Burrows at the Maine Jewish Museum for a fascinating discussion of the recently published The Wandering Radiance: Selected Poems of Hilde Domin in honor of Women’s History Month. Domin is among the most beloved and widely recognized writers of post-war Germany, though until now she has been relatively unknown among English readers.

Thursday, March 14, 2024
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

In conjunction with the exhibition, “Father and Daughter: William Zorach and Dahlov Ipcar,” MJM presents a panel discussion about renowned artist and sculptor William Zorach. In this exhibition, guest curated by Rachel Walls, 7 works in bronze created between 1949 and 1956 will be shown together for the first time. These bronzes – Battle of the Ghetto, Refugees, Their Annihilation, Sacrifice, The Prayer, Samuel Answers the Lord and Head of Moses – are deeply personal works Zorach created as he processed his own reaction to the Holocaust in Europe and World War II. The discussion will be moderated by Rachel Walls and panelists Judy Goldstein and Rabbi David Sandmel will discuss the works and their meaning.

Thursday, March 7, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Sunday, March 10, 2024
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
(note: Clocks Spring Forward on this day)

Come early to view the wonderful art exhibits.
The Museum is open for guests from Noon until 4:00

Spring forward with celebrated Maine poets and Lowry’s Lodge founders Anna Wrobel and Jim Donnelly at this quarterly event! We will begin the evening with a reading by Featured Poet Pam Burr Smith, followed by an Open Poetry Hour. Time will be allotted based on the number of open sign-ups. Some snacks, some beverages, some time for each other.

Sunday, February 11, 2024
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (snow date: February 18, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm)

Textile artist Sarah Haskell discusses her current exhibition at the Maine Jewish Museum. Works include a series of textile panels with an interpretation of the Mourner’s Kaddish stitched onto them. MJM Scholar in Residence Rabbi David Sandmel will explain Jewish mourning practices and the Kaddish prayer, and Congregation Etz Chaim Cantor in Residence Sheila Nesis will be at MJM to sing the Kaddish.

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Thursday, January 25, 2024
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Maine-based photographer Richard Wexler will be at MJM to discuss his current exhibition. After many years working as a physician and medical director, Wexler began further exploring and developing his interest in photography. He’s studied in Portland, Boston and Paris and is a member of the Bakery Photo Collective.

CHILDREN’S BOOK LAUNCH, READ-ALOUD, AND FAMILY TU B’SHEVAT ACTIVITY

Sunday, January, 14, 2024
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Meet Maine and Massachusetts-based artist Roz Sommer at MJM, where her pop-up exhibition will be on view through March 1, 2024. Light refreshments will be served.

Thursday, January 11, 2024
5:00 pm – 7:00 PM

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Tuesday, January 9th, 2024
10:00 am– 11:30 am

For the second year in a row, Hadassah and MJM are combining forces in our joint Book Group. This month, we will be meeting at a Book Group member’s private home to discuss The Last of the Doughboys by Richard Rubin… and the author will be dropping in to say hello, answer questions, and autograph your book! Detailing the author’s decade-long odyssey to track down living American veterans of World War I and tell the stories of these final survivors, The Last of the Doughboys is more than simply a war story: it is a moving meditation on character, grace, aging, and memory.

Wednesday, December 20, 2023
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Location: Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine 1342 Congress St Portland, ME 04102

The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, the Maine Jewish Museum, and the Maine Jewish Film Festival are very pleased to present a screening of Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life. Please stay for a deep and meaningful panel discussion following the film, with Umaru Balde, Director of the Department of Justice, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the City of Portland; Mandy Levine, former employment attorney who is now a DEI consultant and workplace investigator; and Rabbi Andy Bachman, founder of Water Over Rocks, the Center for Midwestern Jewish Communities, and a Senior Consultant to the Jewish Community Legacy Project,  to discuss ways to combat hate in our community. Bagels, lox, and other tasty refreshments will be served, courtesy of our friends at Rose Foods.

Sunday, December 17, 2023
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Cozy up and settle into early winter’s season of lights with celebrated Maine poets and Lowry’s Lodge founders Anna Wrobel and Jim Donnelly at the Maine Jewish Museum! We will begin the evening with a reading by a Featured Poet followed by an Open Poetry Hour. Some snacks, some seltzer, a chorus of voices, and CHOCOLATE, of course — could there be a better way to share the light?

Sunday, December 10,  2023
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

In this hands-on workshop, participants will have the opportunity to use fabric and stitching to illustrate a story of personal significance or capture a particular memory on cloth.

Sunday, December 3, 2023
2:00 pm

Join us as author Dan Rosenberg discusses Elusive Links, his debut historical fiction novel. Dan blends real and imagined characters into the medieval saga of Ben Solomon, from Spain in 1492 to Scotland in 1513. The medieval saga connects to a modern story in 2002 as Sandra Cole, a Jewish anthropologist from Maine, embarks on a romantic relationship with Rusty Stephens, an Episcopalian world renown golfer from Georgia.

Friday, December 1, 2023
5:00 pm

Photographer Yoav Horesh discusses his current MJM exhibition, PerSlovak 2.0. The artist will discuss the original concept of his interactive multimedia work and how its meaning has evolved over time.

Tuesday – November 14, 2023
10:00 am -11:30 am

For the second year in a row, Hadassah and MJM are combining forces in our joint Book Group. This month, we will be discussing The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem by Sarit Yishai-Levi. Now a streaming Netflix series, The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem is a dazzling story about mothers and daughters, secrets and betrayals, and a binding curse. The book was selected to complement a contemporaneous  MJM photographic exhibition, PerSlovak 2.0, which we encourage you to explore after we finish our discussion.

Thursday, November 9, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Panelists discuss the late Maine gallerist June Fitzpatrick’s significant contributions to the Maine art scene and to artists.

Trio Sefardi
Thursday, November 9, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Mayo Street Arts

“La Nona Kanta” with Trio Sefardi
Saturday – November 11 2023 -7 – 8:15 pm
Maine Jewish Museum

Trio Sefardi, a Northern Virginia-based ensemble, performs traditional songs of the Sephardim, the descendants of Jews exiled from Spain in 1492. Their repertoire draws on the song traditions of Sephardic communities from the former Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, and North Africa, with a special emphasis on traditional and original songs they learned from their mentor, Bosnian-born singer/composer and 2002 National Heritage awardee Flory Jagoda.

And now, for the first time, Trio Sefardi will be performing in Portland in partnership with Mayo Street Arts and MJM!

Sunday, November 5, 2023
1:30 pm

The Gem, 48 Cross St., Bethel, ME

The Gem is partnering with the Maine Jewish Museum to bring the Maine Jewish Film Festival to Bethel! Sunday, November 5. Doors at 1pm, Film at 1:30, remarks by Marcel Polak and Leland Faulkner to follow. $10; free for 18 and under.

This masterfully crafted documentary film brings together archival footage, family conversations, and performance excerpts to tell the story of legendary mime Marcel Marceau, including his lesser known role as a Holocaust hero who helped hundreds of French Jewish children escape to safety

Thursday, November 2, 2023
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Sunday, October 22, 2023
3 :00 pm– 4:00 pm

(reception to follow)

In honor of our NEW cantorial exhibit, we invite you to join us for a live concert of cantorial music at the Maine Jewish Museum.

Here in Maine, we are fortunate to have ordained cantors, lay leaders who serve as cantors, choirs who have performed cantorial music, and even a composer who continues to write this music today. A Song and a Prayer: Maine Cantors and Musicians in Concert brings them all together for a singular musical and spiritual encounter in a magnifcent, century-old historical synagogue building.

This concert is generously supported by a grant from the Messerschmidt Fund and the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine.

Tuesday, October 10, 2023
10:00 am -11:30 am

For the second year in a row, Hadassah and MJM are combining forces in our joint Book Group. This month, we will be discussing Memento Park by Mark Sarvas. In this book — winner of the 2019 Associaton of Jewish Libraries Fiction Award and finalist for the 2019 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature — a son learns more about his father than he ever could have imagined when a mysterious piece of art he believes was looted from his family in Hungary during the Holocaust is unexpectedly restored to him.

Saturday, October 7, 2023
3:00 pm

PRESENTED BY:

The Jerusalem Quartet is renowned for their remarkable individual versatility in addition to their exceptional musical teamwork. Their seamless blend and richly characterized performances make them an audience favorite worldwide. The ensemble revels in a warm, full, human, sound that spans high and low voices, giving the quartet a balanced relationship between individual expression and a transparent and respectful presentation of the composers’ work.

More Information

Tuesday, October 3, 2023
3:00 pm – 7:00 pm

MJM Photography Curator and photographer Nanci Kahn and photographer Meredith Kennedy will share details about their process of creating cyanotypes using seaweed and plants from the water’s edge. The two will also give a demonstration of their work.

Thursday, September 28, 2023
7:00 pm 8:00 pm

Join us as author Joshua Harnik discusses his new historical novel, One More Miracle, about a teenage boy who escapes the Nazis and takes a harrowing journey across the continent toward a new life on an Israeli kibbutz. Joshua is the husband of artist Magi Leland, whose current MJM exhibition, Lifeline – Family Trees, honors Harnik’s family. Autogra

Tuesday, September 12, 2023
10:00 am – 11:30 am

IT’S BAAAAACK! After a three-month summer hiatus, the Hadassah X MJM Book Group will reconvene this month at the lakefront home of member Lesli Weiner to discuss The Deadly Scrolls: A Novel (Part 1 of the Jerusalem Mysteries trilogy) by author and fellow Mainer Ellen Frankel… who will also be our guest that day! All attendees are invited to stay for lunch. Additionally, we will use our time together to select books for the remainder of the year. Join fellow bibliophiles for lively discourse and warm camaraderie… and if you have not yet had time to read the book, you are still welcome to join us!

RSVP to to confirm attendance and get Lesli’s address.

Saturday, September 9, 2023
Havdalah Ceremony and Happy Hour: 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Concert: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Join us at the Maine Jewish Museum for a collaborative community Havdalah Happy Hour and Xylophone Concert in celebration of our shared immigrant roots! Special guest and concert performer Roman Lankios, who immigrated to the USA from Ukraine in 1994, is a virtuoso xylophonist who is internationally renowned for his mastery of classical, pop, country, and folk music on the unique four-row xylophone. Toast to the new week with a glass of wine, a craft beer, or a Kyiv Mule, enjoy pierogies from Bogushas Polish Restaurant and Deli and knishes from BenReuben’s Knishery, and treat yourself to a singular musical experience by one of the greats! Co-Sponsored by Etz Chaim Synagogue, the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, the Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, and Mayo Street Arts.

Sunday, September 10, 2023
2:00 pm

Beloved Maine and Vermont-based artist Henry Isaac will greet MJM visitors and talk about his current exhibition, “Watering Holes.”

Thursday, August 31, 2023
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm 

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

June – August 2023

There is nothing quite like summer in Maine, from picture-perfect sunny days to beach walks to ocean breezes to dining al fresco. The summer is also when the Maine Jewish Museum Garden — one of only two public gardens in the East End — bursts into glorious bloom. And this year, for the first time, we are excited to offer a come-to-one-or-come-to-all “In the Garden” program series, with (weather permitting) outdoor events for all ages and interests. We look forward to taking time to smell the roses with you!

Thursday, August 17, 2023
10:00 am – 11:00 am

Join MJM Curator Nancy Davidson and Executive Director Dawn LaRochelle for a pre-opening drop-in and social hour at the Museum! This month, Portland City Councilor Pious Ali will be our special guest.

Pious was the first African-born Muslim American to be elected to a public office in Maine when he became a member of the city’s elected Board of Public Education in 2013 and has been a dedicated public servant ever since. He is also the founding Director of Portland Empowered, a program that works with students and families to increase school engagement and create equitable learning environments through a racial equity lens. Pious received the Gerda Haas Award for Excellence in Holocaust and Human Rights Education & Leadership (2017) and the Watering Can Award from Maine Initiatives (2019). He has served and continues to serve on manyy advisory grous and boards of directors, including Rippleffect, the YMCA of Southern Maine, and the Greater Portland Council of Governments.

Thursday, August 10 ,2023
7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

A fabulous evening awaits! In alignment with our mission to “celebrate and honor Maine’s Jewish immigrants in the context of the American experience” and to “build bridges of appreciation and understanding with people of all backgrounds,” we invite you to join us for a night of fashion, food, and fun to celebrate Our diverse community.

Thursday, July 27, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

The Maine Jewish Museum is proud to be collaborating with Hole in the Head Review to host quarterly poetry readings at the Museum.

Two acclaimed Maine poets, Claire Millikin and Mihku Paul, will be the featured readers.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Melissa Martens Yaverbaum, Executive Director of the Council of American Jewish Museums and curator of the 2010 exhibit “Project Mah Jongg” at Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC, joins us for a presentation about Mah Jongg – a game more widely known than understood! She’ll explain how Mah Jongg made a surprisingly lasting impression on American audiences – including Jewish women – as early as the 1920s, and has endured as a cultural touchstone ever since. Whether you’re a Mah Jongg fan, a history buff, or both, you don’t want to miss this one!

Wednesday, July 12, 2023
10:00 am – 11:00 am

Join MJM Curator in Residence Nancy Davidson and Executive Director Dawn LaRochelle for an informal pre-opening drop-in and social hour at the Museum. This month, Melissa Martens Yaverbaum, Executive Director of the Council of American Jewish Museums (CAJM), will be our special guest. Melissa has over three decades of experience in the museum field, including as Director of Collections and Exhibitions at the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust (NY), Curator of the Jewish Museum of Maryland, and Curator of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.  She continues to curate exhibitions on Jewish life and history and has authored related publications. She is also one of the world’s leading authorities on the history of Mah Jongg. Melissa currently makes her home just outside of Westbrook in Maine. The coffee (from Coffee By Design!) will be hot, the crullers (from Eighty 8 Donuts!) will be sweet, and the conversation will be stimulating!

Thursday, June 29, 2023
5:00 pm -7:00 pm

Mingle with artists, meet old and new friends, and celebrate with us as we debut our new exhibitions!

Thursday, June 22, 2023
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Back by popular demand, the Bach Virtuosi Festival will be bringing Bach and Sons to the Maine Jewish Museum! The exciting program includes Trio Sonata in G Major for flute, violin, and continuo BWV 525; Excerpt from Cantata BWV 97; Quintet in D Major for flute, two violins, viola, cello, and continuo, Johann Christian Bach; Sonata in G minor for violin and obbligato harpsichord, Phillip Emanuel Bach; Excerpt from Cantata BWV 151, J.S. Bach; and Sonata in C Major for flute, violin, and obbligato harpshichord. There will be a brief intermission.

“Can’t-miss classical event of the summer”
-Boston Globe, Classical Music Critlos

Wednesday, June 21, 2023
10:00 am – 11:00 am

Join MJM Curator in Residence Nancy Davidson and Executive Director Dawn LaRochelle for an informal pre-opening drop-in and social hour at the Museum. This month, Portland’s inaugural Director of Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Umaru Balde, will be joining us as our special guest. Originally from Guinea-Bissau, Umaru moved to Egypt for school but fled to Israel after refusing to participate in discrimination against non-Muslims. He attended Hebrew University and speaks fluent Hebrew, as well as 12 other languages! In addition to his ground-breaking work for the City of Portland, Umaru is a doctoral candidate at the University of Northern Iowa. The coffee (from  Coffee By Design!) will be strong, the crullers (from Eighty 8 Donuts!) will be sweet, and the conversation will be stimulating!

Tuesday, June 20, 2023
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Artist Robert Katz returns to the Maine Jewish Museum for a moving talk about his art, his evolving sense of his Jewish identity, and how that informs his work.

Thursday, June 15, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Jim Donnelly and Anna Wrobel are co-curators and hosts of Lowry’s Lodge, one of the longest-running poetry feature series in Maine. And now, after a long hiatus, they are bringing Lowry’s Lodge back with readings at the Maine Jewish Museum. Jim will treat us to some of his new prose, followed by an open poetry hour. Reading time will be determined by the number of sign-ups. A spirited and lively event is promised.

Thursday, June 8, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Meet Maine artist Rush Brown for a discussion on his current exhibit at the Maine Jewish Museum. Q&A to follow.

Monday, June 5, 2023
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Music can speak in ways that words alone do not.

Just think of the first concert you ever went to. Or that angsty band you discovered in tenth grade that blew your mind and changed your life . . . or at least it gave you a soundtrack that, when you hear it today, brings you back to those exact experiences.This is true even of music with lyrics: a song will take you to places an essay seldom could.

That’s why The Maine Jewish Museum and Chabad of Maine are delighted to present JUDAISM: THE SOUNDTRACK, a musical experience exploring the “nigun,” or Chasidic melody, beyond its soulful sound. As Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chasidic philosophy, taught: “Music is the pen of the soul.” Come and listen to the story of your soul in its own words, to the feelings—of love or longing, of devotion or despair—that express the complicated relationship between a spiritual soul and a material world.
This will be ninety minutes of pure delight, featuring:

· Rousing music
· Inspiring visual accompaniment
· Meditative commentary
· High-caliber production
· Light refreshments
· A commemorative playbill

Sunday, May 28, 2023
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Meet Maine artist Bob Katz for a discussion on his current exhibit at the Maine Jewish Museum. Q&A to follow.

Tuesday, May 23, 2023
5:45 pm – 7:00 pm

Hatred of Jews and hatred of Muslims have been intertwined in Christian thought since the rise of Islam. In his new book, Jewish Muslims, Rabbi Dr. David Freidenreich explores the history of this complex, perplexing, and emotionally fraught phenomenon. Analyzing anti-Muslim sentiment in texts and images produced across Europe and the Middle East over a thousand years, Freidenreich shows how Christians intentionally distorted reality by alleging that Muslims were just like Jews. They did so not only to justify assaults against Muslims on theological grounds but also to motivate fellow believers to live as “good” Christians. The disdain premodern polemicists expressed for Islam and Judaism was never really about these religions. Rather, they sought to promote their own visions of Christianity—a dynamic that similarly animates portrayals of Muslims and Jews today. Then and now, hate-mongers target “them” in an effort to define “us.”

Sunday, May 21, 2023
3:00 pm -5:30 am

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.

View a video of this event

Tusday, May 9, 2023
10:00 am -11:30 am

Bookworms take note: the Portland Hadassah Book Group has combined forces with the Maine Jewish Museum! This month — our final meeting before our summer hiatus — we will be discussing Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel

by Alon Shaya. Interested members are encouraged to create one of the recipes from the book to share in a Book Group potluck (this is optional, not required). Join fellow bibliophiles for lively discourse and warm camaraderie!

Please email us at if you plan to attend, and let us know which dish you will be preparing for the potluck.

Thursday, May 4, 2023
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Thursday, April 20, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

The Maine Jewish Museum is proud to be collaborating with Hole in the Head Review to host quarterly poetry readings at the Museum.

Two acclaimed Maine poets, Betsy Sholl and Mimi White, will be the featured April readers.

Tuesday, April 18, 2023
10:00 am – 11:30 am

Bookworms take note: the Portland Hadassah Book Group has combined forces with the Maine Jewish Museum! This month, we will be discussing The Song of Names by Norman Lebrecht (fyi: a film adaption of the book was created in 2019, and the DVD is available at the Portland Public Library or via live streaming; there are also several excerpts available for viewing on YouTube). Join fellow bibliophiles for lively discourse and warm camaraderie!

Monday, April 17th, 2023
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Webinar
Event is open to all

Lecture: “Will Our Children Say ‘Never Again’ and Mean It? Lessons from the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the Struggle to End Humanity‘s Worst Crime”

Moderator: Professor Abraham J. Peck

Featured Speaker:
Dr. Jean-Damascene Gasanabo , former Director General of the Research and Documentation Center on Genocide at the Rwanda National Commission for the Fight against Genocide (CNLG) and former member of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCR), Geneva, Switzerland]

Followed by a panel discussion by members of those communities who commemorate their genocides in April: “What does the genocide against my community mean to me?”

Paul Proudian: Armenian genocide
Abraham J. Peck: Holocaust
Yvette Gisele Unezase: Rwandan genocide of the Tutsi El-Fadel Arbab: Darfurian genocide
Marpheen Chann: Cambodian genocide

“April is the Cruelest Month, breeding Lillies out of the dead land, stirring Dull rocks with spring rain” – T.S. Eliot, “The Waste Land” (1922)

Sponsors: USM Office of the Provost, Osher Map Library, History Department USM, Jewish Community Alliance, Maine Jewish Museum, Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine

Register

Sunday, March 26, 2023
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

At a time of increasing antisemitism, heightened racial tensions, and growing xenophobia, art (and food!) has the transformative power to break down barriers. In this spirit, we encourage you to join us for an interactive workshop and potluck vegetarian lunch, where local artist and award-winning community builder Paula Gerstenblatt will help you turn your photos and mementos into a beautiful collage!

Thursday, March 16, 2023
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Do you find yourself humming to the tune of “Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah” at random moments of the day? Were your summers defined by Cat’s Cradle and color war and mandatory swim? Then you’ll want to be sure to join us in person or online for this educational and entertaining discussion about Maine Jewish Summer Camps, featuring voices from Camps Lown, Naomi, Micah, Center Day, and Kennebec!

Brandeis professor and author Jonathan Krasner will open the event with a panoramic historical perspective. Our very own veteran ABC, CBS, and CNN producer, writer, director, and media consultant Jo Dondis will then moderate a panel of cross-generational campers who will share their multi-faceted camp experiences. A camp-themed reception, complete with historical photos, elevated “campy” comfort foods (adult Rice Krispie Treats and Bug Juice Cocktail, anyone?), and mingling will conclude a fun-filled and nostalgic evening. Camp attire encouraged!

Co-sponsored by Documenting Maine Jewry, the Center for Small Town Jewish Life, and the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine.

Tuesday, March 14, 2023
10:00 am – 11:30 am

Bookworms take note: the Portland Hadassah Book Group has combined forces witht he Maine Jewish Museum! The NEW Portland Hadassah X MJM Book Group will meet at the Museum from 10 – 11;30 AM on the second Tuesday of the month (except April, when we will meet on a Wednesday) through May, For our next meeting on March 14, we will be discussing Objects of Love and Regret by Richard Rabinowitz, Join fellow bibliophiles for lively discourse and warm camaraderie!

Thursday, March 9, 2023
6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

In conjunction with our Exhibition, “A Father’s Kaddish: The Celebration of (a) Life in the Aftermath of Death,” we are proud to be partnering with the Maine Jewish Film Festival and the Parsonage Gallery on this screening of the documentary film, A Father’s Kaddish. The film is approximately 30 minutes long, after which there will be an interactive discussion on grieving and Jewish grief rituals. Personal input welcome; q&a encouraged; compassion, empathy, and understanding guaranteed.

A panoramic overview of 3000 years of Jewish learning, this course — brought to the Maine Jewish Museum by Chabad of Maine — introduces you to the works that earned us the title “The People of The Book.”

You will experience the different genres that shape Jewish life, including Tanach, Midrash, Talmud, Halachah, Philosophy, Kabbalah, Musar, and Chasidism, and meet the influential personalities who drove thirty centuries of Jewish scholarship.

Whether you’re encountering these texts for the first time or are a seasoned scholar, this course will inform and enrich all your Jewish learning.

Starting January 29, 2023
6 Sundays (1/29. 2/5, 2/12, 2/19. 2/26, 3/5)
11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Thursday, March 2, 2023
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Thursday, February 16, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

They’re baaaaaack! “The Maine Jewish Museum is thrilled to once again host the inimitable DaPonte String Quartet after a two-year pandemic hiatus. The February “Winter Lights Concert” features the Bach Goldberg Variations.

Please join us for this exciting and enjoyable program. For tickets, go to www.dapontequartet.org.

Thursday, January 26, 2023
4:00 pm

Thursday, January 26, 2023
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

The Maine Jewish Museum is proud to be collaborating with Hole in the Head Review to host quarterly poetry readings at the Museum.

With Rabbi Dr. Laibl Wolf LL.B M.ED.PSYCH.D.DIV.
Sunday, January 22, 2023
3:30 pm – 4:45 pm

Location: Italian Heritage Center – 40 Westland Ave, Portland, ME 04102

Jewish meditation focuses on training a strong psycho-spirtual framework that allows for ‘changing the mind’, ‘taming the heart’ and ‘swimming gracefully in a world of change.’

Three meditative exercises, based on inspiration, contemplation, and introspection, will be explained and practiced.

Presented in Partnership with  Chabad of Maine

Thursday, January 12, 2023
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Steve Marcus will be giving an Artists Talk immediately before the opening, at 4:00 pm

Saturday, January 7, 2023
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Show off your mad trivia skills on your own or in team of up to eight while enjoying pizza, craft beer (generously donated by mast Landing), and fun with friends — all while supporting MJM’s mission-driven exhibitions and programming.

And to add to the excitement, there will be awesome prizes for the top three trivia winners, as well as a 50/50 raffle!

Sunday, December 25, 2022
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Online Event
Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

If your tradition on December 25th includes Chinese food and a movie – or if you would like it to – come join us at the JCA for the afternoon!

We’ll have a delicious Chinese buffet lunch catered by Maine Jewish Museum Director Dawn LaRochelle (who was a restaurateur and caterer in Western Massachusetts for over a decade), snacks, games, activities, Hanukkah-themed gifts for everyone, and movies. Come for a meal or to hang out and enjoy the afternoon together!

More Information

Monday, November 27, Monday, December 4, Monday, December 11, and Monday, December 18 2023
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Have your holiday shopping “wrapped up” and support MJM’s mission-driven exhibitions and programming. Bring your gifts to the Museum or buy your gifts at the Museum — we’ll take care of the rest!

Tuesday, December 13, 2022
10:00 am – 11:30 am

Bookworms take note: the Portland Hadassah Book Group has combined forces with the Maine Jewish Museum! The NEW Portland Hadassah X MJM Book Group will meet at the Museum from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM on the second Tuesday of the month through May. For our next meeting on December 13, we will be discussing Danielle Shiva’s The Cellist.

Thursday, December 1, 2022
7:00 pm-8:30 pm
(No Intermission)

MJM is thrilled to be bringing back the DaPonte String Quartet for the first time since the pandemic! In this first of four planned concerts at the Museum, they will be presenting a new program, “Duo and Trio,” featuring the Beethoven C minor Trio, the Ernö Dohnányi Serenade, and the Mozart Duo in B flat.

Thursday, November 17, 2022
7:00 pm

Thursday, November 10, 2022
2:00 pm-4:00 pm

Join local artist and scientific illustrator Gretchen Halpert of the Scientific Illustration Distance Program (SIDP) for this FREE two-part program! From 2 – 2:30 PM, Halpert will discuss her MJM exhibit against the backdrop of her career at the juxtaposition of art, science, and teaching. Then, from 2:30 – 4 PM, , Halpert will provide instruction to artists and budding artists ages 12+ on traditional drawing exercises, helping them hone their observation skills as they capture elements of the natural world on paper. Specimens and drawing materials will be provided; you are also welcome to bring your own.

Tuesday, November 8, 2022
10:00 am -11:30 am

Bookworms take note: the Portland Hadassah Book Group is combining forces with the Maine Jewish Museum! The NEW Portland Hadassah X MJM Book Group will meet on the second Tuesday of the month from September – May,10 – 11:30 AM, at the Museum.

Thursday, November 3, 2022
5:00 pm -7:00 pm

All are Welcome!

Thursday, October 27, 2022
7:00 pm -9:00 pm

The Maine Jewish Museum is proud to be collaborating with Hole in the Head Review to the first of quarterly poetry readings at the Museum.

Two acclaimed Maine poets, Linda Aldrich and Richard Forester, will be the featured readers.

COFFEE, CAKE, AND CONVERSATION
Thursday, October 6 2022, 4:00 -5:30 pm

COLLAGE ACROSS CULTURES
Thursday, October 13 2022, – 4:00pm – 5:30 pm

POTLUCK AND PARTING THOUGHTS
Thursday, October 20th 2022, 4:00 pm-5:30 pm

At a time of heightened racial tensions and deep socio-political divisions, American Blacks and Jews are being threatened, harassed, and even murdered in alarming numbers. It is more important than ever for the Black and Jewish communities to build mutual support networks and form a united front to fight the perils around us. Unfortunately, however, Black-Jewish ties have not been tended to in recent decades, leading to an undeniable and undeniably worrisome erosion of relations.

Monday, October 17, 2022
7:00 pm – 8:15 pm

Violins of Hope is a concert project featuring a private collection of violins, violas, and cellos housed in Israel. All of the instruments were owned by Jewish people during the Holocaust and were collected following World War II. The PSO-MJM Violins of Hope Maine will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the resistance of the Terezin prisoners. PSO string players will perform on these special instruments, a 60-piece collection, during Verdi’s Requiem concert. Tickets required,Tickets required.

Thursday, September 22, 2022
2:00 pm -4:00 pm

Paula Gerstenblatt will be at the Maine Jewish Museum to visit with guests and and answer questions about her exhibit

Tuesday, September 13, 2022
7:00 pm -8:30 pm

Internationally-renowned photographer Judy Glickman will discuss her exhibit on display at MJM, including her decision to depart from black-and-white film and explore digital color photography.

Sunday, September 11, 2022
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Local artist Joan Busing, whose work expands on the legacy of the Abstract Expressionists of the 1980s, will discuss her exhibit on display at MJM. She will also give a live demonstration of her monoprint technique, in which she paints an image on Plexiglass using layers of thin color applied in gestural strokes and playful geometric patterns and transfers it to paper using a press, creating a unique, irreproducible print. Free admission. Q&A to follow discussion and demo.

Thursday, September 1, 2022
5:00 pm  – 7:00 pm

Mingle with artists and art lovers, enjoy wine and cheese with museum mavens and curious minds, and celebrate with us as we unveil our newest exhibitions!

Sunday, August 21, 2022
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

In conjunction with the current MJM pop-up exhibit, “Witness to War: Ukrainian Photographers React,” we will hear about Ukraine from the vantage point of Ukrainians directly impacted by the Russian invasion.

Watch the WMTW/Channel 8 News Portland interview of Oleg Opalnyk at the Maine Jewish Museum

Thursday, August 4, 2022
7:30 pm
(Etz Chaim Synagogue)

Wednesday, August 3, 2022 (rain date August 10)
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

In conjucunction with the current MJM exhibit “a flower expected everywhere […] (Emily Dickinson),” artist Juliet Karelsen will lead a workshop inviting you to experiment with creating cynanotypes — the centuries-old process of placing objects on paper or fabric treated with chemicals that are sensitive to sunlight, turning the prints a deep cyan blue. The workshop will focus on using local flora and fauna and offer the option of making prints with Jewish-themed objects, as well. Bringing objects from home to create your prints is encouraged, but not required. Artists of all ages and abilities are welcome, and admission is free!

Thursday, June 30, 2022
4:00 pm

New York Maine New York
Robert Solotaire
Spiegel Gallery

“Our father spent his life dedicated to the art and the practice of painting. It’s hard to think of dad without a paint brush in his hand, or standing in front of his easel, or without his camera walking down the street looking for new subject matter. But he was also a loving father, a beloved man about town, an avid reader, and clipper of the news (with strong opinions about what he was reading), a veteran gardener, a music lover, and a voracious traveler. He truly lived a full life, enjoying the world around him and the people he met, and his art reflected that.

Friday, June 17, 2022, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
and Friday, June 24, 2022 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Smith Galtney
Jody Sataloff History and Art Pavillion

Dream Sequence considers the way pictures speak to each other and tell infinite stories through association and suggestion. Galtney’s images are rooted in narratively direct traditions such as autobiography and documentary, but through variation and juxtaposition – random and otherwise – the pictures become cryptic, dreamlike fragments. Whatever story they tell is ultimately up to the viewer.

Sunday, June 26, 2022
3:00 pm

Dr. Michael Cohen
Tulane University

We are planning a gala event on Sunday, June 26th 2022 at 3:00 pm to celebrate with a free Garden Reception followed by a short program inside the sanctuary. We will have a video tribute to the first 100 years and a few remarks will be presented by two or three members with long standing connections to Etz Chaim Synagogue.

A keynote address will be delivered by Professor Dr. Michael Cohen of Tulane University. Dr. Cohen is a Professor in the Department of Jewish Studies, is an author of several books about the Jewish experience and has personal connections to Etz Chaim and the Portland Jewish community.

Sunday, June 12, 2022
11:00 am – 4:00 pm

Chat with Missy Asen about her vibrant and joyful botanical paintings!

Missy Asen is a native Mainer who grew up in Cape Elizabeth. Since she picked up her first crayon, she has found joy in her craft. Missy graduated with a BFA from Ohio Wesleyan University. She maintains studios in Falmouth, Maine, and Sarasota, Florida.

Missy has exhibited at Cygnet Gallery, Thos. Moser Gallery, the Clown Gallery in Stonington, Terrazzo Studio and Gallery, Art and Soul in Kennebunkport, Jameson Gallery, and the Island Gallery at Diamond Cove. She has also exhibited in many galleries in Florida. Her work is included in numerous corporate and private collections. And now, you can see her work and meet her in person at the Maine Jewish Museum!

Missy and the MJM staff look forward to greeting you at the Museum this Sunday!

Thursday, May 19, 2022
7:00 pm

Join us in welcoming photographer, Smith Galtney. His photography has been shown at the University of Southern Maine, SPEEDWELL projects, Cove Street Arts, the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, and Engine. In this talk he will be discussing his process, inspirations and relationship to photography.

Thursday, May 5, 2022
7:00 pm

Opera in the Pines presents the Maine premiere of The Diary of Anne Frank, by Grigory Frid. Based on the original text of the famous diary Anne kept as she hid with her family between 1942 and 1944, this monodramatic opera in 21 scenes will proudly feature an all-female creative team, including Rachel Policar (National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene) in the title role of Anne Frank, and pianist Tina Davis (Artist Faculty in Piano at the University of Southern Maine). Join us May 5th 2022 and 7th 2022 at 7 PM, at Maine Jewish Museum, 267 Congress Street, Portland, Maine.

Wednesday, May 4, 2022
4:00 pm

In this artist talk at 4pm on May 3rd 2022, M. Annenberg will trace the decline of news coverage in the American mainstream press from the 1990’s to the present. Are our oceans acidifying? Are the glaciers melting? Will we breach 1.5 degrees of warming this decade? Is there a climate emergency? If so, why don’t we all know it, beyond a reasonable doubt. M. Annenberg is a Conceptual artist. Her paintings, sculptures, installations and videos focus on under reported stories in American media, concentrating on scientific studies and global warming.

Sunday, March 27, 2022
2:00 pm

Shalom House is a non-profit mental health agency that provides housing and services to adults from all backgrounds who are living with severe mental illness. This year we celebrate our 50th Anniversary of providing Home, Health & Hope with a special exhibition in honor of Nancy Davidson, Curator of the Maine Jewish Museum. Nancy was one of the founding members of Shalom House. She, along with Rabbi Sky, represented the Jewish community in a group of ecumenical leaders looking to create the first halfway house in Maine for those leaving psychiatric institutions during the early 1970s.
For over 28 years the Art Program at Shalom has been an important part of the mental health services we provide. This exhibition features works by Heidi Stubbs and Jack Sullivan, two of the many talented artists in our studio.

Image: Scarborough Marsh, Acrylic on Canvas, Heidi Stubbs

Sunday, March 20, 2022
4:00 pm

Stories we tell each other are all we have. There would be no past without stories of kings and wars and love and ancestors. There would be no future without stories of hope and aspiration and lessons learned.

Image: Lilith the Astronomer,Rebecca Goodale, 2022, Ink on handmade Japanese paper, Circle book with cotton braids

Wednesday, November 17, 2021
7:00 pm

Jews have been living in Maine for 200 years, practicing in up to 30 active synagogues built to anchor Jewish communities across the state. Half of those synagogues no longer exist. Veteran ABC, CBS and CNN producer, writer, director, and media consultant Jo Dondis will bring together voices of these lost synagogues who will help tell the story of the impressive span of Maine’s Jewish community life throughout the state.

Monday, July 19, 2021 – Saturday, August 21, 2021

We are pleased to announce our collaborative exhibition with the Portland Public Library, Critters: Mythical Real & Imagined. This exhibit was curated in part by our very own Curator in Residence, Nancy Davidson, and partially sponsored by the Maine Jewish Museum.

Wednesday, June 16, 20212
7:00 pm

Tonee Harbert’s work considers human intervention on the landscape. This developing series from Tonee’s year-long residency at the Roswell Art Center in New Mexico invokes history and interpretation by looking at what remains from scenarios that once held meaning or utility. Harbert grew up in Oregon, and has lived most of his life in Maine. His photography has been exhibited at the Corcoran Gallery, Portland Museum of Art, Farnsworth Art Museum, Danforth Museum of Art, ICA at Maine College of Art, and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. He’s been awarded a New England Emmy award, and his work has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, and in books and motion pictures. He is currently based in Roswell, NM.

Wednesday, May 26, 2021
7:00 pm

Presented by the JCA’s Community Relations Council

From the Charlottesville violence to the Capitol insurrection to the shootings in Atlanta targeting the Asian American community, hate crimes and domestic extremism are at record levels — and we’re facing a dangerous and dire threat of white supremacy.