Direct Your Gift

The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine has been the backbone of our local Jewish community for decades. We are growing and thriving now more than ever before. We've been here in times of joy and celebration, in times of sorrow and mourning, through change and stability. It is because of generous donors and thoughtful leaders that we are confident that we are here for good, supporting our Jewish community for generations to come.ïŧŋ

Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services PJ Library āļ„āđˆāļēāļĒāļāļĨāļēāļ‡āļ§āļąāļ™āđ€āļ‹āđ‡āļ™āđ€āļ•āļ­āļĢāđŒ āļŠāļļāļ”āļĢāļēāļĒāļāļēāļĢāđ‚āļ›āļĢāđāļāļĢāļĄāđāļĨāļ°āļĻāļīāļĨāļ›āļ°āļ§āļąāļ’āļ™āļ˜āļĢāļĢāļĄ Scholarships and Funds Tribute Gifts

Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services

The work KJFS does would not be possible without our amazing partners and volunteers, and we are so thankful for all their support and hard work in our community. There are a variety of ways for you to get involved with Jewish Family Services, including: 

Jewish Family Services

Every financial gift, both great and small, makes a tremendous difference in the work we do.


āļ˜āļ™āļēāļ„āļēāļĢāļœāđ‰āļēāļ­āđ‰āļ­āļĄ

Lifelong learning is at the heart of Jewish life. At the JCA, you’ll find classes, lectures, and discussion groups that open up Jewish texts, history, and thought, while also exploring how Jewish wisdom speaks to contemporary life. We invite everyone—from those with deep knowledge to those just beginning their exploration—to learn together in an open and inclusive spirit.

Essentials Pantry

Jewish life thrives in community. The JCA offers ways for people at every stage of life to connect with peers, build friendships, and share in Jewish experiences. Jewish life is also celebrated through music, film, literature, and the arts. The JCA presents cultural programs and special events that highlight Jewish creativity and storytelling, inviting the wider community to engage with Jewish perspectives and voices.

Volunteer

Jewish life at the JCA extends beyond ritual and celebration into acts of service, justice, and care for one another. Through volunteer opportunities and partnerships, we put Jewish values into practice, working to make our community and world more compassionate and just.

Host a Diaper Drive or Period Supply Drive

This is a fun and easy way to involve friends, co-workers, classmates, book clubs, or just to host on your own!

ïŧŋSet a date, set your donation drop points, and get the word out that you are looking for supplies!


KJFS āļŠāļēāļĄāļēāļĢāļ–āđƒāļŦāđ‰āļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāļŠāđˆāļ§āļĒāđ€āļŦāļĨāļ·āļ­āđƒāļ™āļ”āđ‰āļēāļ™āļĢāļēāļĒāļĨāļ°āđ€āļ­āļĩāļĒāļ”āđāļĨāļ°āđ€āļ­āļāļŠāļēāļĢāđāļˆāļ āļĢāļ§āļĄāļ–āļķāļ‡āļ›āļĢāļ°āļŠāļēāļŠāļąāļĄāļžāļąāļ™āļ˜āđŒāđ‚āļ„āļĢāļ‡āļāļēāļĢāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ„āļļāļ“āļœāđˆāļēāļ™āļšāļąāļāļŠāļĩāđ‚āļ‹āđ€āļŠāļĩāļĒāļĨāļĄāļĩāđ€āļ”āļĩāļĒāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āđ€āļĢāļē āļ™āļĩāđˆāđ€āļ›āđ‡āļ™āļ§āļīāļ˜āļĩāļ—āļĩāđˆāļĒāļ­āļ”āđ€āļĒāļĩāđˆāļĒāļĄāđƒāļ™āļāļēāļĢāļĢāļ§āļšāļĢāļ§āļĄāļœāļĨāļīāļ•āļ āļąāļ“āļ‘āđŒāđ€āļžāļ·āđˆāļ­āđāļˆāļāļˆāđˆāļēāļĒ

as well as raise awareness in our community around diaper need and period poverty.


PJ Library

PJ Library and the JCA are proud to connect families in Southern Maine to the local Jewish community.

To find out more about local programs or where to connect Jewishly in Southern Maine, please contact us here at the JCA.

Support PJ Library

Center Day Campïŧŋ


Center Day Camp fosters a strong sense of belonging and connection. All are welcome, and everyone at camp is valued and celebrated. Counselors stress kindness, respect, and character in everything that they do. Our grounding and history as a Jewish camp mean that our program offers a unique focus on universal values like integrity, honesty, responsibility, caring for one another, and caring for the earth. We are a child-centered program that seeks to support campers as they build confidence, make new friends, explore new interests, discover their abilities, and learn new skills. 


āļšāļĢāļīāļˆāļēāļ„āđƒāļŦāđ‰āļāļąāļšāļĻāļđāļ™āļĒāđŒāļāļīāļˆāļāļĢāļĢāļĄāļāļĨāļēāļ‡āļ§āļąāļ™

JCA programs explore the vibrant intersection of diverse cultures and ideas that make up our community through a lens of Jewish values and shared universal principles. Together with our community partners, we aim to nurture mind, body, and spirit through a range of programming for all backgrounds, ages, and interests.

Programming & Arts & Culture

Scholarships & Funds

Scholarships allow our programs and initiatives to touch a broad array of community members for whom participation might not otherwise be possible. View a full listing of our scholarships here. We are committed to inclusive programming for all individuals and families who want to become part of the vibrant life of this agency.


Donate to Scholarships Donate to the Charlie Miller Award

āļ„āđˆāļēāļĒāļāļĨāļēāļ‡āļ§āļąāļ™āđ€āļ‹āđ‡āļ™āđ€āļ•āļ­āļĢāđŒ

In its idyllic setting on Sebago Lake, CDC proudly continues its 65-year history of providing a classic summer camp experience to campers ages 3-15. Anchored by Jewish values, activities like swimming, archery, theater, hiking and Israeli Culture bring campers closer to the natural world, to one another, and to themselves. Scholarships allow us to welcome campers whose families cannot afford to send them to camp, and also to help families lengthen the amount of time a camper can spend at camp each summer. Awards are made based on need and historical relationship to camp.

Early Childhood Education

Our accredited and acclaimed preschool program in Portland continues to grow, with over 80 children this year in five classrooms (including, for the first time, infants and 1-2 year old's!) The program draws on the “High Scope” curriculum, a Reggio-Emilia based, student-led approach in which teachers and students to work together to create an active and joyful classroom where learning and play intersect. Through scholarships, we help defray the cost of additional days of care. Scholarships are awarded based on need, taking into consideration a family’s total financial circumstances.

Adult Jewish Learning

āđ‚āļ›āļĢāđāļāļĢāļĄāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āđ€āļĢāļēāļŠāļ™āļąāļšāļŠāļ™āļļāļ™āļœāļđāđ‰āđ€āļĢāļĩāļĒāļ™āļŠāļēāļ§āļĒāļīāļ§āļ—āļĩāđˆāđ€āļ›āđ‡āļ™āļœāļđāđ‰āđƒāļŦāļāđˆāđƒāļŦāđ‰āđ„āļ”āđ‰āđ€āļĢāļĩāļĒāļ™āļĢāļđāđ‰āđāļĨāļ°āļŠāļģāļĢāļ§āļˆāļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāļĢāđˆāļģāļĢāļ§āļĒāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ›āļĢāļ°āđ€āļžāļ“āļĩāļŠāļēāļ§āļĒāļīāļ§āļˆāļēāļāļĄāļļāļĄāļĄāļ­āļ‡āļ—āļĩāđˆāļŦāļĨāļēāļāļŦāļĨāļēāļĒ āļĄāļĩāļžāļĨāļ§āļąāļ• āđāļĨāļ°āđ€āļ›āļĩāđˆāļĒāļĄāļ”āđ‰āļ§āļĒāļžāļĨāļąāļ‡ āļ„āļ“āļēāļˆāļēāļĢāļĒāđŒāļĄāļēāļˆāļēāļāļŠāļļāļĄāļŠāļ™āļ—āđ‰āļ­āļ‡āļ–āļīāđˆāļ™ āđāļĨāļ°āļŦāļĨāļąāļāļŠāļđāļ•āļĢāļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĨāļļāļĄāļ•āļąāđ‰āļ‡āđāļ•āđˆāļāļēāļĢāļĻāļķāļāļĐāļēāļžāļĢāļ°āļ„āļąāļĄāļ āļĩāļĢāđŒāđ„āļ›āļˆāļ™āļ–āļķāļ‡āļˆāļĢāļīāļĒāļ˜āļĢāļĢāļĄāļ—āļēāļ‡āļāļŽāļŦāļĄāļēāļĒāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļŠāļēāļ§āļĒāļīāļ§

Community Leadership Development

āđƒāļ™āļāļēāļ™āļ°āļŠāļĄāļēāļŠāļīāļāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļŠāļĄāļēāļžāļąāļ™āļ˜āđŒāļŠāļēāļ§āļĒāļīāļ§āđāļŦāđˆāļ‡āļ­āđ€āļĄāļĢāļīāļāļēāđ€āļŦāļ™āļ·āļ­ (JFNA) āļŠāļĄāļēāļ„āļĄāļĻāļđāļ™āļĒāđŒāļŠāļļāļĄāļŠāļ™āļŠāļēāļ§āļĒāļīāļ§ (JCCA) āđāļĨāļ°āļŠāļĄāļēāļ„āļĄāļŦāļ™āđˆāļ§āļĒāļ‡āļēāļ™āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§āđāļĨāļ°āđ€āļ”āđ‡āļāļŠāļēāļ§āļĒāļīāļ§ (AJFCA) JCA āđ„āļ”āđ‰āļĢāļąāļšāļ›āļĢāļ°āđ‚āļĒāļŠāļ™āđŒāļˆāļēāļāđ‚āļ­āļāļēāļŠāļĄāļēāļāļĄāļēāļĒāđƒāļ™āļāļēāļĢāļĢāđˆāļ§āļĄāļĄāļ·āļ­āļāļąāļšāļŠāļļāļĄāļŠāļ™āļŠāļēāļ§āļĒāļīāļ§āļĢāļ°āļ”āļąāļšāļŠāļēāļ•āļīāđ€āļžāļ·āđˆāļ­āļāļēāļĢāļāļķāļāļ­āļšāļĢāļĄ āļāļēāļĢāļ›āļĢāļ°āļŠāļļāļĄ āđāļĨāļ°āļāļēāļĢāļžāļąāļāļœāđˆāļ­āļ™āļŦāļĒāđˆāļ­āļ™āđƒāļˆ āđ€āļ—āđˆāļēāļ—āļĩāđˆāđ€āļ›āđ‡āļ™āđ„āļ›āđ„āļ”āđ‰ āđ€āļĢāļēāđƒāļŦāđ‰āļāļēāļĢāļŠāļ™āļąāļšāļŠāļ™āļļāļ™āļ”āđ‰āļēāļ™āļ—āļļāļ™āļāļēāļĢāļĻāļķāļāļĐāļēāđāļāđˆāļœāļđāđ‰āļ™āļģāļ†āļĢāļēāļ§āļēāļŠāļ—āļĩāđˆāļ›āļĢāļ°āļŠāļ‡āļ„āđŒāļˆāļ°āđ€āļ‚āđ‰āļēāļĢāđˆāļ§āļĄāđ‚āļ„āļĢāļ‡āļāļēāļĢāđ€āļŦāļĨāđˆāļēāļ™āļĩāđ‰āđāļĨāļ°āļĄāļļāđˆāļ‡āļĄāļąāđˆāļ™āļ—āļĩāđˆāļˆāļ°āļ™āļģāļ—āļĢāļąāļžāļĒāļēāļāļĢāđāļĨāļ°āđāļ™āļ§āļ„āļīāļ”āļāļĨāļąāļšāļ„āļ·āļ™āļŠāļđāđˆāļŠāļļāļĄāļŠāļ™āļ‚āļ­āļ‡āđ€āļĢāļē āļ—āļļāļ™āļāļēāļĢāļĻāļķāļāļĐāļēāļ­āļēāļˆāļ­āļĒāļđāđˆāđƒāļ™āļĢāļđāļ›āđāļšāļšāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ„āđˆāļēāđ€āļ”āļīāļ™āļ—āļēāļ‡ āļ„āđˆāļēāļ˜āļĢāļĢāļĄāđ€āļ™āļĩāļĒāļĄāļāļēāļĢāļ›āļĢāļ°āļŠāļļāļĄ āļŦāļĢāļ·āļ­āļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāļŠāđˆāļ§āļĒāđ€āļŦāļĨāļ·āļ­āđƒāļ™āļāļēāļĢāļ‹āļ·āđ‰āļ­āļŦāļ™āļąāļ‡āļŠāļ·āļ­āđāļĨāļ°āļ§āļąāļŠāļ”āļļāļāļēāļĢāđ€āļĢāļĩāļĒāļ™āļ­āļ·āđˆāļ™āđ†

āļĢāļēāļ‡āļ§āļąāļĨāļŠāļēāļĢāđŒāļĨāļĩ āļĄāļīāļĨāđ€āļĨāļ­āļĢāđŒ

The Charlie Miller Award was established in memory of Charlie Miller, whose leadership helped to define and shape our community for decades. Charlie was a true mensch, bringing joy, support, and care to everyone with whom he interacted. He was a larger-than-life figure, with a tremendous personal presence, a searching and seeking intelligence, and an incredibly generous spirit. He spread happiness to his family and to everyone surrounding him. He was an accomplished and well-respected attorney, a strong advocate for justice, and a leader of legendary song circles that captivated generations of children in our community.


āļĢāļēāļ‡āļ§āļąāļĨāļŠāļēāļĢāđŒāļĨāļĩ āļĄāļīāļĨāđ€āļĨāļ­āļĢāđŒ āļĄāļ­āļšāđƒāļŦāđ‰āđāļāđˆāļ™āļąāļāđ€āļĢāļĩāļĒāļ™āļĄāļąāļ˜āļĒāļĄāļ›āļĨāļēāļĒāļŠāļąāđ‰āļ™āļ›āļĩāļŠāļļāļ”āļ—āđ‰āļēāļĒāļ—āļĩāđˆāđāļŠāļ”āļ‡āļ–āļķāļ‡āļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāđ€āļ›āđ‡āļ™āļ„āļ™āļ”āļĩāļ—āļĩāđˆāļŠāļļāļ”āđƒāļ™āļŠāļļāļĄāļŠāļ™āļ‚āļ­āļ‡āđ€āļĢāļēāļ—āļļāļāļ›āļĩ āļœāļđāđ‰āļ—āļĩāđˆāđāļšāđˆāļ‡āļ›āļąāļ™āļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāļŠāļēāļĄāļēāļĢāļ–āđāļĨāļ°āļžāļĢāļŠāļ§āļĢāļĢāļ„āđŒāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ•āļ™āđ€āļ­āļ‡āļ­āļĒāđˆāļēāļ‡āđ€āļ•āđ‡āļĄāđƒāļˆ āđāļĨāļ°āļĄāļĩāļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāđ€āļĄāļ•āļ•āļēāđ€āļ­āļēāđƒāļˆāđƒāļŠāđˆāļœāļđāđ‰āļ­āļ·āđˆāļ™ āļ‹āļķāđˆāļ‡āļŠāđˆāļ§āļĒāļŠāļĢāđ‰āļēāļ‡āļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāļŠāļļāļ‚āđāļĨāļ°āđ€āļĒāļĩāļĒāļ§āļĒāļēāđ‚āļĨāļ


All donations received in Charlie's memory will be applied toward endowing The Charlie Miller Award.


Tribute Gifts

A Tribute Gift is a traditional Jewish way to mark important dates or milestones in honor or in memory of those we know and love. Just a few examples of when Tribute Gifts are especially popular: birthdays, anniversaries, religious and secular holidays alike, from Rosh Hashanah and Passover to Mother’s & Father’s Day. Many also choose to mark the passing of a respected community member or loved one through tribute gifts, or to honor someone on their Yahrzeit (the anniversary date of a death).

āđ€āļĄāļ·āđˆāļ­āļ„āļļāļ“āļĄāļ­āļšāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ‚āļ§āļąāļāđ€āļžāļ·āđˆāļ­āđ€āļ›āđ‡āļ™āđ€āļāļĩāļĒāļĢāļ•āļīāđāļāđˆ J āđ€āļĢāļēāļˆāļ°āđāļˆāđ‰āļ‡āđƒāļŦāđ‰āļœāļđāđ‰āļ—āļĩāđˆāđ„āļ”āđ‰āļĢāļąāļšāđ€āļāļĩāļĒāļĢāļ•āļī (āļŦāļĢāļ·āļ­āļ„āļĢāļ­āļšāļ„āļĢāļąāļ§āļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļœāļđāđ‰āļ—āļĩāđˆāđ„āļ”āđ‰āļĢāļąāļšāđ€āļāļĩāļĒāļĢāļ•āļīāđƒāļ™āļāļĢāļ“āļĩāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļāļēāļĢāļĢāļģāļĨāļķāļ) āļ—āļĢāļēāļšāļ”āđ‰āļ§āļĒāļāļēāļĢāđŒāļ”āđāļĨāļ°āļ‚āđ‰āļ­āļ„āļ§āļēāļĄāļ—āļĩāđˆāļŠāļ§āļĒāļ‡āļēāļĄāļ•āļēāļĄāļ—āļĩāđˆāļ„āļļāļ“āđ€āļĨāļ·āļ­āļ āđāļĨāļ°āļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ‚āļ§āļąāļāļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ„āļļāļ“āļˆāļ°āļ–āļđāļāļšāļąāļ™āļ—āļķāļāđ„āļ§āđ‰āđƒāļ™āļĢāļēāļĒāļŠāļ·āđˆāļ­āļœāļđāđ‰āļšāļĢāļīāļˆāļēāļ„/āļĢāļēāļĒāļ‡āļēāļ™āļāļēāļĢāļšāļĢāļīāļˆāļēāļ„āļ‚āļ­āļ‡āđ€āļĢāļē āļ‹āļķāđˆāļ‡āđ€āļœāļĒāđāļžāļĢāđˆāđ€āļ›āđ‡āļ™āļ›āļĢāļ°āļˆāļģāļ—āļļāļāļ›āļĩ


Please note, Tribute Gifts require a minimum donation of $18 per card you would like sent. Tribute Gifts can be made securely online, as well as by mail and phone. When sending donations by mail, please allow a little extra time for processing and gift acknowledgement.


Todah Rabah (thank you) for your ongoing support of the J and all the many ways

ïŧŋ it allows us to enrich our community!


Make a Tribute Gift Today

There are so many ways to give.

āļ„āđ‰āļ™āļŦāļēāļŠāļīāđˆāļ‡āļ—āļĩāđˆāđ€āļ›āđ‡āļ™āļ‚āļ­āļ‡āļ„āļļāļ“


Contact Ashley Inbar, Chief Development Officer with questions.


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