Programs & Events

Sunday, April 12 2026
1:30 – 3:30 PM

Hosted by Anna Wrobel & Jim Donnelly

Join us for an afternoon of poetry, community, and music in the Maine Jewish Museum’s historic sanctuary.

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the beloved Lowry’s Lodge Reading Series returns with a featured reading by Maine poet Alice Persons, followed by an Open Poetry Hour welcoming voices from the community. Whether you’re a lifelong poetry lover, a curious newcomer, or a writer ready to share your work, this gathering promises inspiration, connection, and creativity.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026
1:00-2:00 pm
Location: Online via Zoom

Jews, like members of Portland’s Black, Irish, Italian, and Polish communities, were systematically marginalized by the city’s Yankee elites during the first half of the 20th century. The strategies that Jews used to overcome that discrimination, however, often differed from those favored within other marginalized communities. The legacy of these efforts remains visible to this day.

Sunday, April 26, 2026
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Exhibiting artist Tamara Krendel will be in the Fineberg Room to greet guests and chat about her current exhibition, “Light in Shadow.” Light refreshments served.

May 2, 2026
2:00 pm
Jane’s walk ME

Led by: Riva Krut

Jewish history is all around us in downtown Portland—if you know where to look. This walking conversation follows the Portland Jewish History Trail to explore how Jewish life took shape in the city through everyday places: storefronts and sidewalks, former businesses and meeting spaces, and streets many of us pass every day without noticing their layered histories.

Sunday, May 3, 2026
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

The Maine Jewish Museum invites you to a thoughtful and participatory afternoon exploring how numbers and narratives together help us understand Jewish life in Maine.

Thursday, May 14, 2026
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Join us for a truly special evening with Aimee Ginsburg Bikel, widow of the legendary actor, singer, and activistTheodore Bikel, z”l, as we celebrate the centennial of this giant of Jewish culture.

Sunday, May 17, 2026
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Location: Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine (Map)
Tickets: $45 per person

The Maine Jewish Museum is traveling to the Jewish Community Alliance for Southern Maine to lead a joyful evening celebrating the music, spirit, and cultural legacy of Theodore Bikel, z”l, hosted by Aimee Ginsburg Bikel. Members of the Casco Bay Tummlers will lead the fun with lively Yiddish music and dancing — including songs associated with Theo and, we hope, a few beloved favorites from Fiddler on the Roof.

Sunday, May 24, 2026
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
Coffee By Design — Roastery Room

A good book, great company, and the comforting hum of coffee roasting in the background — sounds like a perfect Sunday afternoon to us! Please join the MJM + Hadassah + Rimon Book Group as we gather once again in the cozy Roastery Room at Coffee By Design to discuss 100 Jewish Brides: Stories from Around the World.

Travel Dates: June 2–9, 2026

The Maine Jewish Museum is delighted to partner with Coelle Travel to offer a unique opportunity to explore Jewish history, culture, and community in Northern Morocco — a region rich with centuries of Jewish life and tradition.

This thoughtfully curated journey invites travelers to experience vibrant markets, historic synagogues, and the layered cultural heritage of Morocco, guided by local expertise and deep cultural knowledge.

Thursday, June 25
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Join us  for a powerful midday conversation with celebrated author and TEDx speaker Nhi Aronheim, whose memoir Soles of a Survivor chronicles her remarkable journey from war and displacement to belonging, family, and faith.

Thursday, June 25
6:00 pm

Join us  for a special evening  with celebrated author and TEDx speaker Nhi Aronheim, whose memoir Soles of a Survivor chronicles her remarkable journey from war and displacement to belonging, family, and faith.

3rd Tuesday of Every Month at 2:00 pm

Join Ted Fleischaker, the Maine Jewish Museum’s “building specialist,” for a tour of the museum with a focus on our historic synagogue’s fascinating history. Ted is a journalist who has written for and owned newspapers in over half a dozen states, hosted a program on National Public Radio for over a decade, was a professor at University of Louisville, and served as PR Director at the United Jewish Campaign in Louisville.