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The 3rd annual Joe Bornstein Winter Warmth Drive wrapped up earlier this month and we are so proud to announce that we have met our goal of providing over 500 pairs of winter boots for Maine kids! The boots are currently being distributed to nine Portland-area schools and are going directly to students identified as needing proper winter footwear. The…

Happy (almost) Hanukkah everyone! With most events happening in-person again this year (plus some online options), there are so many wonderful ways to celebrate together here in Southern Maine. Here are 11 great Hanukkah Happenings to help keep your annual traditions full of life and full of light! For Hanukkah crafts, recipes, music and activities,…

Faith is the courage to take a risk for the sake of God or the Jewish people; to begin a journey to a distant destination knowing that there will be hazards along the way, but knowing also that God is with us, giving us strength if we align our will with [God’s]. Faith is not…

EXPERIENCE ISRAEL with the Small Jewish Federations cohort  Join others from smaller Jewish communities for this once in a lifetime trip!  April 17-23, 2023  Followed by the JFNA General Assembly (GA) in Israel on April 23-26 – the Jewish Federations of North America premier event. Registration for GA will be through the JFNA website, details…

Prepared by Exile Bakery Starting Week of November 1st  All proceeds benefit the JCA    Food is more than sustenance. It is a connection to our history, a map of our cultural travels and tangles, and a tool to strengthen old communities and build new ones. This is all both undeniably true and something we…

Do I need to sign up? Can I attend services in-person this year?  Most High Holiday services in Southern Maine are happening inside synagogues again, though there are virtual and outdoor options, so a little advanced planning helps! To make things a bit easier, we’ve compiled a list* of where you can go to sign…

In advance of our Annual Meeting on September 28th, the JCA is pleased to announce the proposed slate of Board Members for 2023-2024! Join us on Thursday, September 28 at 5:30 PM, where we’ll honor new and retiring Board members, celebrate our community award winners, review the past year, and share our vision for the year…

In our tradition, the rest and refreshment that follows creation and generativity is not something added on only when time permits; through Shabbat, we set time aside weekly, remembering that even God, the all-powerful, needed to refresh themselves as part of the creation of the world.   In recognition of the unique challenges of the…

We are so excited to share the news of two fantastic new hires at the Jewish Community Alliance!   Sam Cohen will be our new Operations Director. Sam has been at the JCA for 9 months as Membership and Office Manager, and during that time has helped to further professionalize and grow our organizational capacity,…