Talent and Passion in Maine

by Audrey Lichter

As is our custom, wherever our family vacations, I always try and visit at least one synagogue or Jewish organization and let them know about Chai Mitzvah, Yesterday, on our trip home from our annual family reunion in Acadia National Park, I visited Rabbi Bill Siemers of Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor Maine. Ostensibly the oldest continually running congregation in Maine, it was begun in 1888 by Lithuanian and Polish Jews and is now a Conservative congregation. Rabbi Siemers, clearly a big fan of his congregation and of living in Maine, listened to all we had to offer through the prism of how his leadership and congregants could adopt some of our programs. He spoke about their strong commitment to legacy and to the congregation.

In my travels, I often marvel at how important Jewish community is
to Jews living in remote communities
and how hard they work to keep it alive and vibrant.

In my travels, I often marvel at how important Jewish community is to Jews living in remote communities and how hard they work to keep it alive and vibrant. He also spoke about anti-Zionist ideology at Maine State University where he teaches. He was especially interested in Scott Shay’s books, In Good Faith: Questioning Religion and Atheism, and Conspiracy U: A Case Study. Chai Mitzvah’s central mission is to work closely with congregations to strengthen engagement through our small group text-based sourcebooks and our POP-portunities …learning, social action and ritual/spiritual commitments (the Power Of Passion).

We look forward to adding Congregation Beth Israel in Bangor Maine to our Chai Mitzvah family.