Religious Life

Jewish religious life is centered in both the home and the synagogue. Some important practices, like the Passover seder, provide opportunities for families to spend time together. Other rituals, such as reading from the Torah scroll, require a communal gathering. Because these rituals are essential to Judaism, Jewish communities in Maine generally established synagogues as soon as they grew large enough to do so. Over the years Maine’s Jewish communities have witnessed the modernization of synagogue rituals and the transformation of family traditions. These objects and photographs reflect some of the religious traditions that have been important to Jews in Maine. What are these traditions? How have they changed over time?

Curated by Jena Hershkowitz '12