From Remembrance to Renewal:

Marking Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom Ha’Atzmaut

Each spring, the Jewish calendar guides us through a powerful journey—one that moves from mourning to memory, and ultimately, to celebration. In the span of just a few weeks, we observe Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day), and Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day). These three days, taken together, form a deeply emotional arc that reminds us of our collective history, our resilience, and our ongoing commitment to Jewish life and continuity.

Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day

Observed this year on the evening of Wednesday, April 23 through Thursday, April 24, Yom HaShoah is a solemn day to remember the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust, along with the countless others who suffered under Nazi terror. Across the world, Jews gather to light memorial candles, recite Kaddish, and share stories that must never be forgotten.

At the JCA, Yom HaShoah offers an opportunity for our Southern Maine community to come together in grief and in remembrance. Whether through survivor testimonies, educational programs, or moments of silence, we affirm our shared responsibility: to remember, to educate, and to stand against antisemitism and hatred in all its forms.

Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day

One week later, Yom HaZikaron reminds us that the State of Israel, a symbol of hope and self-determination for the Jewish people, has come at great cost. On this day, we honor the lives of Israeli soldiers who have fallen in defense of the nation, as well as victims of terrorism. In Israel, a siren sounds and the entire country pauses—traffic stops, conversations cease, and stillness falls—as a sign of collective mourning.

Here in Maine, while we may be geographically distant, we join in spirit with those grieving in Israel. It’s a moment to reflect on sacrifice, to express solidarity, and to remember that freedom and peace are never guaranteed—they must be nurtured, protected, and pursued together.

Yom Ha'Atzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day

Immediately following Yom HaZikaron, the mood shifts dramatically as Israel transitions from mourning to celebration with Yom Ha'Atzmaut, marking the declaration of independence in 1948. This year, it begins on the evening of Wednesday, April 30. Across Israel and Jewish communities around the world, this day is filled with joy, gratitude, music, dancing, and celebration of Jewish sovereignty.

We celebrate both the dream and the reality of a modern Jewish state—and the deep ties that connect us to it.

A Journey of the Jewish Heart

These three days—Yom HaShoah, Yom HaZikaron, and Yom Ha'Atzmaut—form a uniquely Jewish sequence of memory, mourning, and hope. As we observe them together, we hold space for both the pain and the pride of our people’s story. We invite our community to join us in honoring the past, engaging with the present, and building toward a shared future rooted in resilience, justice, and joy.

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National Diaper Need Awareness Week 2026

September 15, 2026

The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine Marks National Diaper Need Awareness Week, Celebrating Community Support for Maine Families As Maine recognizes National Diaper Need Awareness Week, September 14–20, Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services (KJFS) at the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine (JCA) is highlighting the ongoing challenge of diaper need and the extraordinary network of volunteers, donors, funders, and community partners who make the KJFS Diaper Bank possible. Across the country, one in two families with young children struggles to afford enough diapers to keep their children clean, dry, and healthy. Diapers are a basic necessity, but they are also an economic issue for families: many childcare and early education programs require parents to provide an adequate supply of diapers, meaning diaper need can create another barrier to parents’ ability to work. Here in Maine, the KJFS Diaper Bank works to ensure that families throughout the state have access to this essential resource. As an essential component of the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, KJFS approaches this work in the spirit of Jewish values—the belief that caring for our neighbors and helping people meet their most basic needs is a responsibility we share. The Diaper Bank puts those values into action by serving families of all backgrounds throughout Maine. In 2025, the JCA distributed 290,050 diapers to an average of 965 children each distribution month. Currently, the Diaper Bank serves clients in Lewiston, Gray, Raymond, Mechanic Falls, Brunswick, Saco, Biddeford, Gorham, Windham, Standish, Buxton, Steep Falls, Scarborough, South Portland, Portland, and Westbrook. As we continue to see the impacts of inflation, diapers continue to be a barrier for families, and without clean diapers, babies are exposed to potential health risks and toxic stress, and mothers are at risk for increased maternal depression. In a letter recognizing National Diaper Need Awareness Week, Maine Governor Janet Mills thanked the state’s diaper banks, staff, volunteers, and donors for their service and specifically recognized the JCA among the trusted community-based organizations working to distribute diapers to families throughout Maine. “We thank Governor Mills for recognizing the work of so many across our community to address diaper need,” said Susan Cohen, CEO of the JCA. “Jewish tradition reminds us that we are responsible for one another, and that caring for our neighbors is both an obligation and an expression of our deepest values. Through this work, we seek to ensure that every family has the dignity, resources, and opportunity they need to thrive.” The work of the KJFS Diaper Bank is only possible because of the community behind it. In 2025, the Diaper Bank had over 80 volunteers, including 50 individual volunteers as well as many corporate and student volunteer groups who donated over 700 volunteer hours. Volunteers help receive, organize, package, deliver, and prepare diapers for distribution, while individuals, businesses, foundations, government partners, and community organizations provide the financial and material resources needed to keep shelves stocked. Margaret Mailander, Director of Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services shares that "addressing the immediate diaper need is important and as the National Diaper Bank Network has made clear through their research, diaper need is a systemic issue caused by economic and social systems and therefore requires our collective support to find solutions that are structural." During National Diaper Need Awareness Week, KJFS encourages Mainers to learn more about diaper need, organize diaper drives, volunteer, and support the continued availability of diapers for families throughout the state. Please donate to the Jewish Family Services Diaper Bank at Diaper Bank . About Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services KJFS is the social services department of the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, providing programs and resources that support individuals and families and strengthen communities throughout Maine. Guided by Jewish values and open to people of all backgrounds, KJFS works to meet immediate needs while fostering dignity, connection, and well-being. About the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine The Jewish Community Alliance (JCA) is a central hub for Jewish life, education, and community support. We provide meaningful programs, essential services, and opportunities to connect. Rooted in Jewish values, history, and our connection to Israel, the JCA cultivates and sustains a welcoming and thriving Jewish community in Maine and strives to build a better world for all.

A Call for Peace and Responsible Rhetoric

July 31, 2026

A Call for Peace & Responsible Rhetoric

Remembering, Rebuilding, and Resilience: JCRC Hosts Eugene Damlich

July 15, 2026

Last week, the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine welcomed Eugene Damlich, a survivor of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, for a special lunch and community dialogue. Eugene shared the story of losing his family, surviving unimaginable violence, and rebuilding his life in the years that followed. The only surviving child in a family of five children, Eugene later immigrated to the United States, where, as an adult, he found love and belonging with a Jewish-American family. The gathering was not simply a testimony program, but a genuine exchange between communities. Eugene asked participants how the Jewish community has preserved Holocaust memory while helping survivors and their descendants live with hope, dignity, and purpose. He also invited discussion about forgiveness, justice, healing, and the responsibility to transmit memory across generations. Several people at the table were children of Holocaust survivors—one JCRC member, Anna Wrobel, shared that her mother was also the sole survivor of her family—profoundly relating to Eugene in a way that few others can. In preparation for the lunch, the JCRC held its first movie night, where participants watched Sometimes in April, a 2005 historical drama about the Rwandan Genocide. Last week’s lunch also built upon the JCRC’s participation in this year’s Kwibuka, which annually commemorates the Rwandan Genocide; JCRC members walked in the memorial procession, and a post-Kwibuaka gathering for Maine’s Tutsi community was held at the JCA. We are deeply grateful to Eugene for sharing his testimony, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen the relationship between Maine’s Jewish and Tutsi communities.