Community Awards and Scholarships

Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

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2025 Jewish Community Alliance Scholarships and Awards

High School Scholarship Awards Application Deadline: May 15, 2025


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

Scholarships & Funds

JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

Stephen Brent Jacobson Scholarship Award

Stephen Jacobson was always active in the JCC, from his early days at Center Day Camp through receiving the Robert J. Agger Award and participating on the softball teams. He always displayed a sense of commitment and community. Stephen was not only well liked, but admired and respected. He always had a smile on his face. As many may remember, Stephen's life was tragically cut short. Stephen's commitment to both the Jewish and general community went far beyond what one would expect from one so young. In his memory, the Jewish Community Alliance and the Jacobson Family established a scholarship fund and award to be given to a Jewish graduating high school senior who best exemplifies Stephen's ideas, compassion, leadership and desire. While this award is of great significance to the Jewish Community, the accompanying tangible award is in the nature of an honorarium.

JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

The President’s Cup (Scholarship Award)

The President's Cup award is presented to the Jewish graduating high school senior from among Southern Maine high schools that has attained the highest grade point average during his or her high school career.


While this award is of great significance to the Jewish Community, the accompanying tangible award is in the nature of an honorarium.

JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

The Robert J. Agger

Memorial Award

As a student at Portland High School, Robert Agger was an outstanding three sport athlete in the class of 1928. He was a true sportsman and was respected by everyone with whom he played. The Robert J. Agger Memorial Award is presented to a Jewish graduating high school senior who has displayed sportsmanship, leadership and athletic ability throughout his or her high school career. While this award is of great significance to the Jewish Community, the accompanying tangible award is in the nature of an honorarium.

JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

The Charlie Miller Award

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.


The Charlie Miller Award is given each year to a high school senior who represents the best of our community; someone who freely shares their talents and gifts, and whose kindness and care for others spreads joy and helps to bring healing to the world.


JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

The Linda And Joel Abromson Award

The Jewish Community Alliance is proud to announce that it is accepting applications for the Linda and Joel Abromson Award which provides scholarship to community members who have visioned a project allowing the applicant the opportunity to explore Jewish life in unique and creative ways.


Applicants are required to submit a letter of support for their project, a description of the project and how it would benefit the community, project time frame, estimated cost for the project and budget, a resume, and amount you are requesting. The committee will review all proposals and may follow up with applicants with any additional questions. 


JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

The Richard D. Aronson Young Leader Award

The Jewish Community Alliance is proud to announce that it is accepting applications and nominations for the Aronson Young Leadership Award. The candidates for this award must be between the ages of 25 and 45 and will demonstrate leadership qualities exemplified by Richard Aronson during his tenure of service to the Jewish Federation and Southern Maine’s Jewish community. These qualities include a unique dedication of one’s time, ideas, and creativity to benefit our community.


This recipient will be honored at the Jewish Community Alliance’s annual meeting. In addition, the recipient and spouse will be awarded the opportunity to attend and participate in the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America, the largest yearly gathering of Jewish leadership in the world.


The recipient of the Aronson Young Leadership award must be a contributor to the JCA Annual Campaign. The Aronson Young Leader Award is funded through the generosity of the late Linda and Joel Abromson z"l.


The Jewish Community Alliance is pleased to accept nominations for the Richard D. Aronson Young Leader Award. If you would like to nominate a deserving community member, please send letter detailing the nominee’s involvement as a volunteer with the Jewish Community Alliance and the community at large.

 


Karen M. Lerman

Volunteer Award

The Karen M. Lerman Volunteer Award was established in Karen Lerman's name to recognize a member of the community who has gone "above and beyond" on behalf of the Jewish Community. Karen spent 16 years as a key volunteer for the JCC, serving in numerous roles and continuing her dedication to the Jewish Community Alliance.


The Jewish Community Alliance is pleased to accept nominations for the Karen M. Lerman Volunteer Award. If you would like to nominate a deserving community member, please send letter detailing the nominee’s involvement as a volunteer with the Jewish Community Alliance and the community at large.


JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

Fistal Family

Nursing Scholarship

Inspired by a bequest made by a cousin, the Fistal family decided to fund a scholarship for a purpose close to their hearts. After thinking about their own educational backgrounds, they decided to concentrate on Sheri’s; an A.D. in Nursing at age 35 followed in two years by a B.S. and at age 55, an M.S.N.


A scholarship will help those students who want to make nursing their career choice. The Jewish Community Alliance, which represents the Jewish community in southern Maine, provides a ‘home base’ for the scholarship.


This scholarship will be presented each year at the Jewish Community Alliance Annual Meeting to a Jewish high school senior or Jewish individual who plans to become a Registered Nurse and is accepted to a secondary school that awards an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.


Applicants must write a one-hundred-word statement on why they want to become a Registered Nurse:


  1. High school applicants must also provide a high school transcript, a description of their extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation from two teachers and one other non-related person that are familiar with the applicant’s accomplishments.
  2. Non-traditional students must submit three letters of recommendation, one from an employer or professional contact.


JCA Community Awards and Scholarships

Award Recipients

Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

2025 Award Recipients

Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

2024 Award Recipients

President’s Cup, Charlotte Schatz
Stephen Brent Jacobson Scholarship Award, Matan Schoenfeld

Charlie Miller Award: Matan Schoenfeld
Karen M. Lerman Volunteer Award, Sheila Emple

Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

2023 Award Recipients

President’s Cup, William Dunham
Stephen Brent Jacobson Scholarship Award, Isabella Baker and Jacob Lucier
Robert J. Agger Memorial Award, Eliza Stein
Karen M. Lerman Volunteer Award, Judy Rosen
Richard D. Aronson Young Leadership Award, Lena Geraghty

Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

2022 Award Recipients

President’s Cup, Hannelore Sanokkis
Stephen Brent Jacobson Scholarship Award, Zoe Baker
Robert J. Agger Memorial Award, Deven Abrams
Karen M. Lerman Volunteer Award, Matthew Jacobson
Richard D. Aronson Young Leadership Award, Lea Steirman

Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

2021 Award Recipients

President’s Cup, Zoe Seigel
Stephen Brent Jacobson Scholarship Award, Bennett Berg
Robert J. Agger Memorial Award, Ben Greene

Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine

2020 Award Recipients

President’s Cup, Max Brown
Stephen Brent Jacobson Scholarship Award, Benjamin Israel
Robert J. Agger Memorial Award, Hannah Dubinsky & Alexander Riggle
Karen M. Lerman Volunteer Award, Sherri Quint
Linda and Joel Abromson Award, Karen and Emma Hindall
Richard D. Aronson Young Leadership Award, Mandy Levine

Donate to Scholarships | Donate to Charlie Miller Award


Center Day Camp:  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:  Our programs support adult Jewish learners to embrace and explore the richness of Jewish tradition from a pluralistic, dynamic and energetic perspective. Faculty are drawn from the local community, and courses range from biblical text study to Jewish legal ethics.


Community Leadership Development:  As a member of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the Jewish Community Center Association (JCCA), and the Association of Jewish Family and Children’s Agencies (AJFCA), the JCA benefits from many opportunities to join with the national Jewish Community for trainings, conferences and retreats. Where possible, we provide scholarship support to lay leadership who wish to attend these programs and are committed to bringing resources and ideas back into our community. Scholarships may be in the form of travel stipends, conference fees, or help to defray the cost of books and other course materials.


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