A Call for Peace & Responsible Rhetoric

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.

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!

The JCA had a wonderful time hosting the Second Annual Jewish-Asian Friendship Dinner! This dinner brought together the Jewish community and nearly all major Asian organizations in Southern Maine. This year, we served Cambodian delicacies, Filipino comfort food, and Israeli falafel, with a special dish made for the event: a red onion curry challah created by Exile Bakery. Highlights of the night included honoring Manli Ho—the daughter of famous Chinese diplomat Dr. Feng-Shan Ho, who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust—and a Hamotzi blessing & invocation from Rabbi Rachel Isaacs. We also heard a moving story on growing up Asian from former Portland City Councillor Tae Chong, a speech from community leader Marpheen Chann, an introduction from Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, and concluding remarks from Tam Huynh, Executive Director of the Holocaust & Human Rights Center of Maine. Our Jewish Community Relations Council also presented an original artwork to the Watt Samaki Buddhist Temple in honor of our past year of friendship. Thank you to more than 150 community members who packed the JCA to celebrate Jewish-Asian unity. These include our friends at Khmer Maine, the Maine Jewish Museum, Azerbaijan Society of Maine, Chinese Gospel Church of Portland, Watt Samaki Buddhist Temple, Filipino-American Samahan of Maine, Chinese-American Friendship Association of Maine, Maine Asian-American Community Center, and The LUNAR Collective.

After a four-month, intensive search, we are thrilled to announce that the JCA’s new Chief Executive Officer will be Susan Cohen, presently of London, England. After growing up in Massachusetts, Susan has spent the last 30 years of her career in Italy and the UK, with extensive senior leadership experience in the nonprofit and Jewish communal sectors. We were immediately struck by Susan’s relevant professional experience, but also her thoughtfulness, steady leadership style, clear sense of compassion, and her deep and enduring ties to Jewish life in Maine. Her father was born in Portland and raised in South Portland, and her grandparents were active members of the local Jewish community, where Susan enjoyed visiting regularly throughout her childhood. When considering this opportunity, Susan shared: “The JCA’s mission, especially its commitment to radical inclusivity and cultivating a thriving Jewish community, resonates deeply with me. I am inspired by the JCA’s growth, vibrant programming, and role as a convener across a diverse and expanding population. Uniting people across synagogues, agencies, and the broader community has been a defining feature of my leadership. I would be honored to help lead the organization into its next phase.” In addition to regularly visiting her family in Portland and Bangor as a child, Susan attended Bowdoin College for a year–and volunteered at the Hebrew School at Beth Israel Congregation in Bath!–before finishing her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University. She went on to receive a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University, and then moved to Europe for international work opportunities. Susan raised her three adult children in London, and is now ready to make the move back to New England to be closer to her parents in the Boston area. We are confident that Susan’s meaningful experience in Jewish communal and social service nonprofit organizations will have a significant positive impact on the entire JCA community. As Executive Director (Chief Executive) of Six Point Foundation, she led a Jewish grantmaking organization supporting Holocaust survivors from inception through successful spend out, building partnerships across the Jewish communal landscape and designing initiatives with long-term impact. She then worked as a member of the senior leadership team at Nightingale Hammerson, a 350-person Jewish eldercare organization based in London. She is currently a senior leader at Oxfam, a global confederation of over 20 independent organizations working in 70+ countries to fight inequality and end poverty through humanitarian aid, long-term development, and campaigns. Throughout these roles, she has exhibited strategic and empathetic leadership, organizational excellence, keen financial oversight, and a deep commitment to inclusion and community building. The JCA Board of Directors would like to thank the Search Committee for all the time, energy, and professionalism that they brought to this process. We’re indebted to Rachael Alfond and Stefanie Levenson, who have been volunteering so generously as Acting Co-Directors during this transition, as well as the entire JCA staff for their ongoing commitment and hard work. We also want to thank JCC Association and our search consultant, Steve Engel, for their incredible support and guidance. Susan will take the next few months to wrap things up in London and make the big move to Maine, starting as CEO of the JCA in early August. We are all excited about welcoming her to our community this summer and to the work ahead under her leadership. Stay tuned for opportunities to meet Susan and help her settle into her new role and life here in the coming months!

On behalf of the entire team at the JCA, thank you to everyone who participated in the second annual JCA Mitzvah Day! This year, 87 volunteers gave back across 8 service sites, making a meaningful impact in our community. We are truly grateful to all who took the time to be part of this special day. We hope you’ll stay connected with us as we offer a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the year.  Thank you for being part of this shared effort of Tikkun Olam—repairing our world, one act at a time. Your presence and energy made a real difference.

Hadassah Welcomes Its Fourth Group of Future Hadassah Leaders The 11 women from 7 states are the latest to be chosen for Hadassah’s Evolve Leadership Fellows program NEW YORK, NY — Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America , is proud to announce its new class of Evolve Leadership Fellows . The 11 women comprise the fourth group chosen for the two-year leadership development program, which the organization launched in 2022 to identify and nurture the next generation of Hadassah leaders. The fellows, a diverse group of women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s from California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Texas, i nclude professionals working in cybersecurity, education, healthcare, social work, and the arts as well as several part and full-time homemakers. As befits a group participating in a leadership development program run by an organization with a strong focus on healthcare and a public hospital system, Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Organization , among the fellows’ specialties are academic coaching for neurodivergent children, therapy for autistic children, healthcare consulting, donor recruitment for blood banks, and locating housing for doctors working in underserved communities. Carol Ann Schwartz, Hadassah National President , welcomed the new fellows, saying she was "delighted to see younger Jewish women eager to take up the mantle of leadership to help advance Hadassah’s mission." During the first year of the Evolve Leadership Fellows program, the fellows meet with Hadassah's national leaders and learn about the organization’s programs and initiatives in Israel and the US. They also participate in a series of workshops led by Hadassah's senior management team, which focus on developing the skills needed to inspire and lead their fellow Hadassah members. In the second year, each fellow is paired with a Hadassah mentor and asked to take on a leadership role in her local Hadassah chapter or region based on the community’s needs and interests. Among the roles taken on by past fellows are the presidency of their Hadassah region, representing their regions at meetings of the World Zionist Congress and the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, and chairing a Hadassah Evolve symposium. The Evolve Leadership Fellows program is part of Evolve Hadassah: The Next Generation , a Hadassah initiative that seeks to build community among younger members and empower them to take action so that Hadassah’s mission remains life-changing for generations to come. About Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America: Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, is the largest Jewish women’s organization in the United States. With nearly 300,000 members, donors, and supporters, Hadassah brings women together to effect change on such critical issues as ensuring Israel’s security, combating antisemitism, and promoting women’s health care. Through its Jerusalem-based medical center, the Hadassah Medical Organization , Hadassah helps support exemplary care for more than 1 million people every year as well as world-renowned medical research. Hadassah’s hospitals serve without regard to race, religion, or nationality and earned a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2005 for building bridges to peace through medicine. Hadassah also supports two youth villages that set vulnerable youth in Israel on the path to a successful future. Visit hadassah.org and follow Hadassah on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and Threads . Carly Wittman has been selected as a member of Hadassah’s newest cohort of Evolve Leadership Fellows. Carly, a second-generation Hadassah member, was encouraged to apply to the Fellows program by longtime Hadassah member Leslie Gonzalez, who knew Carly wanted to develop leadership skills, was committed to Israel, and was active in the Fellows’ umbrella group, Evolve Hadassah: The Next Generation . Carly has been involved in Jewish life since she was young. She attended Congregation Beth Israel in Old Orchard Beach, the Hebrew school of Congregation Etz Chaim in Biddeford, and Jewish summer camps in Portland (Camp Gan Israel) and Windham (the JCA’s Center Day Camp). In her senior year at the University of Maine, Orono, she was Hillel president. Today, in addition to her activity with Hadassah, she sits on the JCA’s Intercultural and Government Advocacy committees and is proud to have testified at the Maine State House against a BDS bill. She hopes to form Maine’s first Hadassah chapter with the help of the JCA’s Young Jewish Professionals group, of which she’s also a member. For now, she’s happy to be part of New England’s Hadassah Northeast chapter, joining meetings by Zoom and sometimes traveling to Boston for events. Carly is a senior research analyst with Portland’s Crescendo Consulting Group , which works to improve life in the communities it serves by advising local healthcare organizations, public health departments, and tribal nations. It’s another way in which her interests complement the mission of Hadassah, which operates a public hospital system in Israel.

Guided by Jewish Values, Committed to One Another The JCA reaffirms our unwavering support for every member of the community. Guided by the core Jewish value of pikuach nefesh - the preservation of life - and a deep respect for human rights, we remain committed to being welcoming and safe for everyone. This value states that life is a gift from G-d that must be protected. Every aspect of human life is sacred - physically, mentally, and emotionally - regardless of religion or race. Our tradition teaches us the immense weight of this responsibility. The Torah speaks passionately about our obligation to build a society that is just. The call to actively pursue justice, צדק צדק תרדף - tzedek tzedek tirdof - (Devarim 16:20), is presented as a central and fundamental component of Jewish life. Our tradition is clear: Jews must work for a world in which all people can live in dignity. In alignment with these values, we stand in solidarity with our immigrant community, who deserve to live free of fear, oppression, and discrimination. We believe in the inherent dignity of every individual. We remain dedicated to serving you and upholding the values that define us. B'yachad - together, Stefanie Levenson & Rachael Alfond Acting Co-Directors