Connection, Community & Engagement
JFamily is a JCA program bringing families and children together around Jewish values, holidays and culture. We offer a warm welcome for families looking to connect. Our programs provide opportunities to socialize, explore, celebrate and create community.
- Programs are subject to change. See our website and announcements for the latest information.
- All programs are held at the JCA, unless otherwise noted.
- JCA closures will be announced via WCSH, WGME, WMTW, and on www.mainejewish.org and the JCA’s voicemail at (207) 772-1959.
Mitzvah Team Donation Drive - we want your kids' stuff!
Through March 15th
Looking for an opportunity to declutter your kids’ space and share the joy of their toys with other kids? PJ Library and Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services want your kids’ stuff! Donations of new or gently used SMALL toys (Legos, cars, puzzles …), card games, books and art supplies (drawing and construction paper, pompoms, safety scissors, googly eyes …) are needed for the creation of Vacation Week Activity Bags to be distributed through the KJFS food pantry.
Donations accepted at the JCA by March 15th. No stuffed animals please. Join us on March 28 (see below) to help assemble the bags and enjoy a potluck dinner!
Play with PJ!
Fridays, 10:45 - 11:45 AM
Celebrate seasons, holidays and friendship with free weekly PJ Library play dates! We welcome 0-3 year-olds and their caregivers to join us for free play in our community hall followed by stories and songs in the library. Families are welcome to bring a lunch or snack and hang out after play time, then join in for Shabbat with the Goldman Family Preschool at 12:15 PM.
Purim Katan
Tuesday, February 19th at 5:30 PM // Temple Beth El // 400 Deering Avenue, Portland
Temple Beth El's Family Engagement Committee, PJ Library, Levey Day School and Shaarey Tphiloh invite you to join us for an evening of Purim fun for little ones! Purim Katan is a holiday that only falls on leap years when an extra month of Adar is added to the calendar. While regular Purim is celebrated in the second Adar, during the first Adar we celebrate a mini-Purim, Purim Katan! We will have crafts, face painting, games, story time, pizza and a costume swap*! All are welcome to this free event, costumes are encouraged!
*Costume Swap - bring your gently used costumes that no longer fit your growing children and swap them out for new-to-you ones.
Slimefest '19
Sunday, March 3rd, 1:30 - 3:00 PM // Levey Day School // 400 Deering Avenue, Portland
Join Levey Day School and PJ Library, along with community partners for Slimefest '19! Let's get mixin' and slimed up. There will be many different types of slimes on hand (literally!) for you to choose from. This is a family-friendly event, FREE, and all are welcome. For more info, email info@leveydayschool.org.
MJFF Free Family Film - Paddington
Presented in partnership with the Maine Jewish Film Festival, Levey Day School, and PJ Library
Sunday, March 10, 12:30 - 3:00 PM
JCA - 1342 Congress St., Portland
Join us for a free film, pizza & snacks, and children's activities with PJ Library!
From the beloved novels by Michael Bond, Paddington tells the story of the comic misadventures of a young Peruvian bear who travels to the city in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone, he begins to realize that city life is not all he had imagined - until he meets the kindly Brown family who read the label around his neck that says "Please look after this bear. Thank you," and offer him a temporary haven. It looks as though his luck has changed until this rarest of bears catches the eye of a museum taxidermist.
Rated PG. 1 hour, 35 minutes.
Visit www.mjff.org for tickets and more information.
Mitzvah Team Giving Night
Tuesday, March 28, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
JCA - 1342 Congress St., Portland
What would you want and need for a vacation week at home with your family? Join PJ Library and Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services to assemble Vacation Week Activity bags to be distributed to Portland-area families through the KJFS Food Pantry. We will share a potluck dinner, decorate and assemble bags with snacks and activities, and talk about kindness and other ways of helping. Please bring a favorite dairy/vegetarian dish to share at our potluck dinner (no meat please).
Donations of new or gently used books, small toys (no stuffed animals), puzzles, games and art supplies will be accepted at the JCA until March 15.