Jews are a small minority in central Maine, so we recognize how important it is for our young people to feel a sense of belonging at the temple. We seek not only to give our youth a solid Jewish education but also to offer fun social opportunities to help them develop strong relationships with each other and with our rabbi.
Temple Beth El is a diverse, welcoming community that embraces inclusiveness, promotes lifelong Jewish learning, and encourages active participation in Jewish life in Central Maine. We are committed to the progressive ideals of Reform Judaism, and we welcome members and visitors who represent a wide range of Jewish experiences. We seek to deepen our members’ connections to Judaism, foster a spirit of community within our congregation, and engage in social action in the world beyond our synagogue.
Temple Beth El is a diverse, welcoming community that embraces inclusiveness, promotes lifelong Jewish learning, and encourages active participation in Jewish life in Central Maine. We are committed to the progressive ideals of Reform Judaism, and we welcome members and visitors who represent a wide range of Jewish experiences. We seek to deepen our members’ connections to Judaism, foster a spirit of community within our congregation, and engage in social action in the world beyond our synagogue.
Click below to read about the latest happenings at Temple Beth El.
September 1: Only you work
This innovative graphic has gotten a lot of attention recently. Created by the United Synagogue of Hoboken, it is based on a story told by Rabbi Art Green, a leading figure in the Jewish Renewal Movement. In Restoring the Aleph—Judaism for the Contemporary Seeker, he tells the following story. Read more…
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At Temple Beth El, we believe that young people often learn best from other young people, so we have created a madrachim (teacher’s assistants) program to give our younger students a chance to study with older students. Students who become b’nai mitzvah are eligible to become madrachim in our Hebrew School. As madrachim, they work closely with our teachers and younger students to create and teach lessons at Hebrew School each week. They earn money and shoulder significant responsibility while developing close relationships with the younger students. It’s a great experience for all involved!
The brainchild of Janika Eckert and Arwen Roth, the Rosh Chodesh Women’s Group celebrates each new moon by bringing the women of Temple Beth El together for talking and noshing. Newcomers are always welcome! For more information, contact Janika (jeckert@johnnyseeds.com) or Arwen (arwenroth@yahoo.com).
Ice Storm Wine Tasting
Held each winter, the Ice Storm Wine Tasting is our biggest fundraiser of the year. The adults of our community join together to taste fine wines from around the world. The Wine Tasting started in 1998 after the huge ice storm that shut down Maine for weeks. Temple members thought we should join together to celebrate the end of the ice with some wine and food and the Ice Storm Wine Tasting was born. Starting with some food and drinks, it has grown to an event for the entire community featuring amazing wines, food, a silent auction and live music. We hope you’ll join us for this annual event!
Maine Conference for Jewish Life
Temple members participate actively in the Maine Conference for Jewish Life. This conference is sponsored by the Center for Small Town Jewish Life and held each June in Waterville. The Maine Conference for Jewish Life is a pluralistic opportunity for superior Jewish learning and joyous celebration in central Maine. This conference brings Jews from across the region together in order to gain familiarity with the jewels of Jewish civilization, convene with other Jews from around the state, exchange best practices for crafting successful rural Jewish lives, experience the benefits and challenges of celebrating in a pluralistic environment, and revel in Torah learning. Temple members teach and can be found sitting together in the dining hall discussing what they have learned. The Conference is sponsored by the Center for Small Town Jewish Life.
Spending Time Together
At TBE we like be with one another. Whether heading down for Jewish Community Night at the Sea Dogs game, spending time catching up after Shabbat services, attending potluck dinners and our annual meeting or hanging out after Hebrew school you will find a community that enjoys getting to know one another. We have a variety of special programs each year including guest speakers and special holiday events. All of these are opportunities for us to build community and get to know one another.
Temple Teens
Each month our Temple Teens take Rabbi Asch on an adventure — they have showed her the zaniness of Old Orchard Beach, challenged her to broom ball before a Portland Pirates hockey game, schooled her in bowling, and more. These day trips build camaraderie and a sense of belonging among our teens, and they keep the rabbi in touch with the nuances of modern teen culture.
We partner with the Center for Small Town Jewish Life to create opportunities for our teens to connect with other Jewish youth and college students from throughout Maine. For more information please contact Rabbi Asch.
