Bath Jewish History

March/April 2025
Adar /Nisan/Iyyar 5785

Rabbi’s Message

Dear Beth Israel Members and Friends,

A highlight of the coming months will no doubt be the festival of Passover, an opportunity to gather with family and community in gratitude for the ways in which we are free and in recognition of the responsibilities we each hold to help those in our midst who are not yet free.
Our Seder’s Haggadah teaches In each and every generation a person must see themselves as if they too had left Mitzrayim … We must see ourselves in the story of the Exodus by reflecting on our own lived experience, listening to the stories of others, and committing to work with empathy to help others be free.

There are so many times when I feel my own freedom with such clarity and gratitude. Like this winter while cross country skiing at the Bath Golf Course, or cooking a Shabbat meal to nourish others. The freedom to dwell in nature and break bread in community are blessings to me.

And at the same time, when I look at our world my heart breaks. Today in 2025 so many members of our community fear for their lives and their freedom. I am thinking in particular of our transgender youth and adults and their families and of the refugee and asylum seekers in our midst. We must do all we can to ensure their safety through deeds of chesed (kindness) like aiding an individual or family in need, or acts of tzedek (justice) like working to ensure the rights of all human beings to live in freedom, dignity and safety. 

This year my heart is also turned towards the east, to our siblings in Israel still fearing for their lives with an ongoing war. We must continue to support them by standing up for Israelis to dwell in freedom and peace, and here at home—continuing to talk and listen to one another across our differing perspectives.

Through kindness and justice, speaking and listening, we can move our community, and I pray our world, towards greater freedom and much needed healing.

L’Shalom,
Rabbi Vinikoor

President’s Message

by Marilyn Weinberg

March is Women’s History Month. During this time, we often think of individuals who, through their acts of courage, really made a difference in our communities and our world.

And yet sometimes we overlook the acts of a group of women, who through their commitment and hard work, also made a difference.

In 1919 in Bath, according to a local newspaper, the Jewish men met and agreed to start the process of building a synagogue of their own after having used multiple venues throughout the city including a poolhall.

What was not published in the newspaper is that the women of the budding Jewish community decided they would form their own organization to raise money for this huge project.

They called themselves the Hebrew Ladies’ Society and began a group that lasted for over 50 years. Women from Bath and Brunswick totaled over 30 members. Meetings initially were held weekly and soon moved to every other week. They paid 10¢ per meeting dues and raffled off homemade items at each meeting to make more money. Most of them had families and worked alongside their husbands in the family business. They were busy, but this was important for them. In 1920, after putting in hours of work, they were able to donate $500 to the building fund. They continued this work, organizing social events, rummage sales, and holiday events year after year. Without their efforts the Beth Israel Congregation would not have survived.

Beth Israel has amassed minutes of the Hebrew Ladies Society from 1919 until 1962. The minutes give us a slice of Jewish life experienced in our small communities over time. Some are funny and some very serious. My favorite is the constant battle of the women trying to get the men to clean up the kitchen. These anecdotes tell us a story of the importance of the women in our Jewish communities.

A sample from the minutes:
Bath, Maine - December 31, 1921
Mrs. M.S. Povich - recording secretary

The Hebrew Ladies’ Society held a social whist party…A large crowd attended...the whole Jewish population of Bath and Brunswick with only a few absent. Whist was enjoyed by all, and prizes were distributed including a necktie donated by Mrs. N. Povich and there was even a booby prize (a hairpin) donated by Mrs. M. Cohen. Food remaining was auctioned off. The party was a financial success having raised $21.60.

You can find the full minutes of the Hebrew Ladies Society as part of the Judaica Collection at the Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine.

During this Women’s History month of March 2025, I want to honor and thank the of women of Beth Israel who donate their time and energy to continue to keep our synagogue alive and thriving.

Meditation Session

by Carrie Watkins

Tuesday, March 4
7:00 pm
Zoom

Beth Israel’s rabbinical apprentice Carrie Watkins, sponsored by the Center for Small Town Jewish Life, has been leading meditation circles not just for us but across Maine.

You’re invited, on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:00 pm, to join her for a statewide Zoom session. The 1-hour session will combine guided, silent meditation with song, Jewish learning, and time for mindful group reflection. Everyone is welcome, whether you’ve been to an in-person session or not. 

Sign up HERE.

Rabbi Vinikoor Honored

by Marilyn Weinberg

The Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) has an annual conference, and our Rabbi Vinikoor has been on the organizing committee for the last five years.

We recently received a note from CCAR:

Rabbi Vinikoor is receiving an honor in grateful recognition of her extraordinary leadership work for the CCAR. Hakarat HaTov (recognizing the good) awards are given to rabbis who volunteer on behalf of the CCAR with particular devotion and distinction. Among other areas of involvement, Rabbi Vinikoor has served as the Chair of the 2025 Convention Committee.

We appreciate deeply the energy and talent which Rabbi Vinikoor has given to the CCAR. The CCAR strengthens the Jewish community by providing support, leadership, and wisdom for the 2,200 rabbis who serve more than two million Reform Jews throughout the world. 

One additional way our Beth Israel Congregation can honor her to is to donate to her

Rabbi's Discretionary Fund.

Community Purim Celebration

by Rabbi Vinikoor

Thursday, March 13
4:45 pm
Minnie Brown Center

Join us to celebrate Purim this year with a lively Purim Spiel, a family-friendly retelling of the Purim story. We also will be having a Purim carnival followed by pizza and hamantaschen!

Come in costume, bring a gragger to make lots of noise every time we hear the name of that dratted villain Haman. All ages are welcome. Wear a costume and get ready for laughter and fun with our Beth Israel community!

We need a few volunteers to help out at this event. Email Rabbi Vinikoor if you can help.

Passover

by Marilyn Weinberg

We had such a wonderful experience last year at our Passover Seder, it was requested that we return to the lovely Long Reach Hall at the Maine Maritime Museum to accommodate our increasing number of attendees.

We will provide all the items you need for the seder including matzoh, charoset, eggs, horseradish, and parsley. Our seder meal will be potluck.

Reservations required by March 30.
Sign up HERE.
Once you sign up, we will be in touch with you to determine what you can bring to the potluck if you have any questions.

To cover expenses:
$10 per person/$25 per family for members
$20 per person/$40 per family for non-members

We prefer that you PAY ONLINE, but you can also pay in-person at the door.

Neighbor to Neighbor Dinner Series

by Joanne Rosenthal

Sunday, April 27

On Sunday, April 27, Beth Israel will host the first dinner in a series with invited guests from the immigrant community in the Bath-Brunswick area.

This “no agenda” meal is simply an opportunity to meet our new neighbors in a relaxed setting. Given the extreme turmoil facing refugees and asylum seekers, we can start conversations and let folks know we’re glad they’re here. More details will follow.

Next Community Read:
Maxim Shrayer’s Leaving Russia: A Jewish

by Janet Marstine

When we consider Jewish history of the last century, often the struggles and the achievements of Soviet Jewry after WWII are forgotten due to the all-encompassing horrors of the Holocaust. The distinctive context that shaped Jewish life in the post-war Soviet Union, however, warrants our attention.

Virulent anti-Semitism, as driven by the absurdist totalitarian bureaucracy of Soviet Russia, drove Jews across the USSR to seek emigration in the 1970s, 1980s and first years of the 1990s. Emigration was highly restricted and those denied permission to leave were referred to as refusniks. They found clever ways to maintain their Jewish identity and sense of community, under the radar, despite the severe discrimination they faced, and as they sought escape.

Author and professor of Slavic, English and Jewish Studies Maxim Shrayer spent his childhood as a refusnik in Soviet Russia. In this memoir, Leaving Russia, he shares his everyday experiences of living a double life, not knowing who to trust and the ways his choices were constrained by simply being Jewish.

He writes about the persecution and violence his refusnik-activist family faced and the USSR itself as a prison, despite the moments of beauty and pleasure he felt, especially during his travels to the Baltic Sea and the Caucasus. He movingly conveys the pressures of hating the country that hates you while simultaneously loving the people and places that shaped his childhood. Leaving Russia is a powerful testament of Jewish resilience.

Please have a read and join us for a rich discussion of this compelling book.

Teen DC Trip

by Ren Kauffunger, Willow Halpin, Eric Ensel

From January 31 to February 3, Beth Israel teens Ren Kauffunger, Eric Ensel and Willow Halpin traveled to Washington DC with 12 teens from Portland’s Congregation Bet Ha’am to attend a L'Taken Seminar.

This is the Teen Social Justice Program sponsored by the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. The L'Taken Seminar is an intensive four-day study experience focusing on Jewish values and social justice. Every year more than 100 congregations from across the country bring their high school students to explore public policy and social activism through a Jewish lens.

Ren, Willow and Eric joined over 400 teens from across the country.

From Ren Kauffunger: While much of the L’Taken programming was done within the hotel we stayed, the standout moments for me took place in the museums we visited. This visit to DC marked my first time visiting the Holocaust Museum, and it was incredibly jarring and eye opening, adding a more tangible and physical layer to the horrors that took place during WWII. On top of that, Eric, Willow, and I visited the Hirshhorn, which was exhibiting an incredible piece of work by Basquiat, an artist whose work has been incredibly inspiring to me. The other aspect of the trip that I loved the most was getting to know Rabbi Jared Saks of South Portland. I greatly appreciated every second I got to spend working with him, and hope that we stay connected.

From Willow Halpin: The L'Taken program was a wonderful experience to learn about the lobbying process and how to take charge. It was also just great to be with so many other Jewish kids that were interested in the same thing as I was.

From Eric Ensel:We learned more about issues through the intensive training. In addition to the seriousness of the issues such as climate change and responsible gun ownership, there was also time to explore Washington DC. I was able to see the capital and famous historical places. Ren and I worked together to meet with Senator King’s staff. I learned how to speak in front of elected officials and what it means to lobby. I returned home exhausted but knowing that although I am one person, I can still make a difference in the world. That is a feeling I hope to carry with me for the future. I appreciate the chance to participate in the L'Taken program.

A Real Pain – The Movie

by Deb Smyth

On Saturday, February 1, our traditional Community Read morphed into a Community Movie with popcorn. A group of Beth Israel members and non-members, gathered at Minnie Brown to screen and discuss the 2024 movie, A Real Pain, written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg.

The movie’s storyline involves two mismatched cousins who travel together to visit the concentration camp and town where their grandmother had lived during the Holocaust. Billed as a comedy-drama, the movie raises many questions about different kinds of pain, and the ways we deal with pain in our lives, both past and present.

Janet Marstine, our very able facilitator, filled in many details concerning the writing and filming of the movie. A lively discussion with thoughtful questions and responses followed. It was clear that everyone there would like a movie to be part of our Community Read repertoire.

Stay tuned for announcements of future books and movies and join us when you can for these stimulating discussions.

Tu B'Shvat

by Lucy Flores

On February 14, 2025, many in our community came together for Shabbat, oneg, and a beautiful Tu B'Shvat seder led by Rabbinic Apprentice Carrie Watkins!

The seder, which was grounded in kabbalistic traditions, offered a meaningful opportunity for us to connect with our history and the land through prayer, reflections, tasting of fruit and nuts, and singing.

As Carrie noted, the evening felt marked by abundance. Not once, but twice, we paused briefly to add additional table space at the Minnie Brown Center as more community members arrived during the course of the seder. It was a beautiful night to connect with each other and share food and challah!

Mi Shebeirach

• The Beth Israel Board wishes Shira Gersh a full and speedy recovery

Donations

Memorial Gifts

• Matt and Karen Filler in loving memory of their niece, Gillian Higman

• Stan Lane and Norma Dreyfus in loving memory of his mother, Janet Lane

• Jon and Lorna Lichter in loving memory of his father, David Lichter

• Gary Torow in loving memory of his father, Morris Torow

• Howard Waxman and Lisa Schinhofen in loving memory of his mother, Goldie Waxman

• Merna and Joe Guttentag in loving memory of her mother, Ethel Cohn Schatz

• Marilyn and John Darack in loving memory of her parents, Sterling and Ruth Shapiro

• Norma Dreyfus and Stan Lane in loving memory of her brother, Nathaniel Goldberg

• Peggy Brown and John Martell in loving memory of her grandparents, Solomon and Sonia Wernick

• Robert and Barbara Lenox in loving memory of his father, Fred Lenox

• Robert Gersh and Susan Horowitz in loving memory of his mother, Maxine Gersh

• Jenna Golub and Stephen Sinclair in loving memory of her mother, Maureen Oppenheim Golub

• Karen and Matt Filler in loving memory of her mother, Frances Feldman and her grandmother, Sarah Lang

• Mara and Donny Giulianti in loving memory of her father, Leon Berman

• Marina and Stephen Singer in loving memory of her sister, Grace Haigh and her sister-in-law, Anne Alvare

• Marilyn and Fred Weinberg in loving memory of her mother, Ann Isacoff

• Fred and Marilyn Weinberg in loving memory of his father, Marvin Weinberg and his brother Robert Weinberg

• Bud and Mary Samiljan in loving memory of his mother, Bernice Samiljan

For the Benefit of the Synagogue

• Andrew and Sarah Litt

• The Carr Family

• Jill and David Sickle

• Lawrence Hobel and Diana Staring

• Jon and Lorna Lichter

• Food Industry Lodge-2558 B’Nai B’rith for Refugee Programs

• Briana Robillard

• Carol Bernstein-Eckstein and Martin Eckstein

• Phyllis Wolfe

• Thyle Shartar and Martin Fox

• William and Marilyn Horowitz in honor of Robert Gersh

• Jeff Cohen and Nancy Heiser

• Sonya Sampson

• Midcoast Fellowship

Building Fund

• Jon and Lorna Lichter

• Erich and Pauline Haller

• Norma Dreyfus and Stan Lane

• Jeff Cohen and Nancy Heiser

• Fred and Marilyn Weinberg

• Stephen and Marina Singer

For the Hebrew School

• Sarah and Henry Laurence

Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund

• The Carr Family

• Tom Sager and Lisa Dealy

• Center for Small Town Jewish Life Makom Fellowship

• Alan Mayer and Patricia Brennan

Remembrances for March–April 2025

May their memories be for a blessing.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

Listing the birthdays and anniversaries of those in our immediate family creates a wonderful opportunity for our community/shul family to have an excuse to celebrate with each other.