Arm in Arm

August 14, 2024 | Third Thursday Thoughts
Dawn LaRochelle, Executive Director

It was, I thought, a simple and straightforward question. My three boys had gone to a wedding on their dad’s side of the family, and I asked what the bride wore. But my boys’ response was to look at me like I had three heads.

“She wore a dress,” my oldest finally volunteered.

I took a deep, cleansing breath. “Right. Was it a ballgown? A mermaid? A sheath? Boho? Modern? Long, short, or tea-length? Sweetheart neckline? Plunge? Lace? Bling? Sleeves? And did she wear a veil?”

Silence from the boys.

“Okay, was the dress poufy or fitted?”

Uncomfortable shifting of feet on the boys’ part. “It was white – I think,” ventured my youngest. The middle child, as middle children are wont to do, merely rolled his eyes.

Not for the first time, I was left wondering how my sons and I could possibly be related.

Admittedly, as my overflowing closet and underwhelming savings account attest, I am possibly-maybe a tad bit obsessed with clothes. But a wedding dress is so much more than just a garment. It’s a purely emotional investment, a piece of interactive art that is less transformative than it is revealing, a statement about who the bride is and how they want to present themselves to the outside world. A ballgown suggests a hopeless romantic; a mermaid is for the confident glamour queen; a sheath invokes the calm, cool, collected bride who appreciates understated elegance. And a bride with a strong sense of style who isn’t afraid to buck convention might opt for a pants suit. The neckline, the amount of lace and bling (or lack thereof), the decision to veil or not to veil – every choice tells a story.

The stories we wear go beyond weddings and were on full display last week at MJM’s Fashion, Food, and Fun(d)raiser: A Celebration of Our Diverse Community. Our Keynote Speaker Elisheva Rishon – a Black Orthodox Jewish designer and influencer who flew in on the red-eye from California for the event – set the tone, describing how her experiences with racism and antisemitism and her struggle to find a sense of belonging led her to embrace her uniqueness through fashion. And fashion was what distinguished the 37 Jewish, immigrant, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and differently-abled models (representing 18 different countries) who rocked the runway in our century-old synagogue sanctuary, as well as what brought them, and with them all of us, together in our shared humanity. If, as the saying goes, a picture is worth 1,000 words, it was a cellphone snapshot that best captured the spirit of the evening: our Israeli and Iranian models arm in arm, beaming after marveling at the similarities in the beading of their traditional Israeli and Persian outfits. Such a pertinent and poignant reminder in these polarizing times that what unites us is much, much more than what divides us.

The Fashion Show is one of many MJM programs grounded in our mission to build on the Maine Jewish immigrant experience to foster appreciation and understanding among people of all backgrounds. Most recently, we were thrilled and honored to be the recipient of an award from 100+ Women Who Care Southern Maine to benefit our Delet Program. “Delet” is the Hebrew word for “door,” and the mission of the Delet Program is to share our experiences and open a door to greater understanding of Jews and Judaism among diverse Maine middle and high school students. Thanks to the generosity of 100+ Women Who Care Southern Maine, we will be expanding our program to include youth art workshops designed to explore students’ multicultural heritages and tie them in to the history of the Maine Jewish community.

In addition to connecting people to the Maine Jewish experience, we connect Jewish Mainers to their roots. For example, our inaugural “I’m a Jewish Mainer” Youth Art Competition last Spring 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! Their works will be on exhibit at the Museum from August 29 – November 1, alongside Penelope Jones and Deborah Klotz’s “Overlay,” Ruth Sylmor’s “Children of the Shoah & Aujourd’hui à  Paris,” and Adam Powers’ “On Peninsula.” There will be a special celebration and reception in the winners’ honor on Sunday, September 8, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm — don’t miss this opportunity to meet and mingle with the newest generation of Jewish artists and admire their work while enjoying light refreshments.

As the seasons change and Summer blooms segue into Fall foliage, we remain committed to centering ourselves within our Jewish core and using our Jewish core as a springboard for broader outreach. Come explore our exciting Art Exhibitions , our extensive Historical Displays, and our robust schedule of Programs And Events . We look forward to welcoming you to the Museum for the first time or the 101^st time – and we won’t judge if you wear white after Labor Day!

Warmly,

Dawn

Dawn LaRochelle

Executive Director