Host an Israeli Counselor

duda • March 18, 2025

Host An Israeli Counselor This Summer

Our Israeli Shlichut will be in Maine from June 13th to August 17th while working at Center Day Camp and we need your help with housing! Hosting one of these amazing young people for 4 weeks is a great way to learn about Israel, teach them about Maine, and provide a great experience for your whole family! Stipends are available for host families.


Shlichut Bios:


Shahar is a 23-year-old from the city of Haifa, and will be serving as our athletic activity leader this summer! He has a background in karate, volleyball, and soccer, but enjoys many other sports as well. When he is not teaching or coaching children in athletics, he enjoys traveling and playing chess. We look forward to Shahar’s empathy and understanding toward his campers this summer! 


Shani is a 22-year- old from the city of Yokne’am Illit, and will be serving as our Israeli culture activity leader this summer! She is looking forward to showcasing all that Israel has to offer, and educating our campers on the beautiful culture and country she calls home. She likes spending time with family and friends, cooking, and listening to music. Shani enjoys thinking outside the box, and helping campers see the bigger picture!


Maya is a 22-year-old from the city of Rishon Lezion, and will be our dance activity leader this summer! She has been shuffle dancing for several years, and looks forward to introducing this passion to our campers. Other hobbies include calligraphy and embroidery. We look forward to Maya’s independent, solution based approach while working with campers and the ability to lead through her creativity!


Alon is a 21-year-old from the city of Hadera, and will be our nature and outdoor adventure activity leader this summer! He enjoys hiking, bouldering, running, and solving the occasional riddle. Alon is a team player, flexible, and always willing to help others. We are looking forward to his patient and creative leadership style while working with our campers this summer!


Alisa is a 20-year- old from the city of Ashkelon, and will be our arts and crafts activity leader this summer! She is skilled in many different styles of the creative arts, but is most looking forward to working with clay, paper, and paints! Additional hobbies include reading, singing, dancing, and baking. We look forward to Alisa’s diligent work ethic, and her ability to handle group dynamics and value based teaching!


Please contact Chris Thurston, CDC Director, for more information at 207-772-1959 or CDC@mainejewish.org. Thank you! 

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.

2026 Shlichim Spotlight

June 29, 2026
Camp is officially in session, and we’re so excited to welcome this year’s Israeli Shlichim to Center Day Camp. Each summer, our Shlichim (Hebrew for “emissaries”) travel from Israel to spend the season at camp—sharing their culture, traditions, language, stories, and everyday life with our campers and community. Through games, conversations, music, special programs, and lots of fun, they help create meaningful connections that bring Israel to life in authentic and personal ways. Wishing all of our campers, staff, and Shlichim an unforgettable summer ahead!
Show More