Women's History Month

duda • February 24, 2025

The Hebrew Ladies Society

by Marilyn Weinberg

When we consider Women’s History Month, 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 pool hall.

What was not published in the newspaper was that the women of the budding Jewish community decided they would form their 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 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. The 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.

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Remembering, Rebuilding, and Resilience: JCRC Hosts Eugene Damlich

July 15, 2026

Last week, the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine welcomed Eugene Damlich, a survivor of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, for a special lunch and community dialogue. Eugene shared the story of losing his family, surviving unimaginable violence, and rebuilding his life in the years that followed. The only surviving child in a family of five children, Eugene later immigrated to the United States, where, as an adult, he found love and belonging with a Jewish-American family. The gathering was not simply a testimony program, but a genuine exchange between communities. Eugene asked participants how the Jewish community has preserved Holocaust memory while helping survivors and their descendants live with hope, dignity, and purpose. He also invited discussion about forgiveness, justice, healing, and the responsibility to transmit memory across generations. Several people at the table were children of Holocaust survivors—one JCRC member, Anna Wrobel, shared that her mother was also the sole survivor of her family—profoundly relating to Eugene in a way that few others can. In preparation for the lunch, the JCRC held its first movie night, where participants watched Sometimes in April, a 2005 historical drama about the Rwandan Genocide. Last week’s lunch also built upon the JCRC’s participation in this year’s Kwibuka, which annually commemorates the Rwandan Genocide; JCRC members walked in the memorial procession, and a post-Kwibuaka gathering for Maine’s Tutsi community was held at the JCA. We are deeply grateful to Eugene for sharing his testimony, and we look forward to continuing to strengthen the relationship between Maine’s Jewish and Tutsi communities.

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June 5, 2026

The JCA had a wonderful time hosting the Second Annual Jewish-Asian Friendship Dinner! This dinner brought together the Jewish community and nearly all major Asian organizations in Southern Maine. This year, we served Cambodian delicacies, Filipino comfort food, and Israeli falafel, with a special dish made for the event: a red onion curry challah created by Exile Bakery. Highlights of the night included honoring Manli Ho—the daughter of famous Chinese diplomat Dr. Feng-Shan Ho, who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust—and a Hamotzi blessing & invocation from Rabbi Rachel Isaacs. We also heard a moving story on growing up Asian from former Portland City Councillor Tae Chong, a speech from community leader Marpheen Chann, an introduction from Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, and concluding remarks from Tam Huynh, Executive Director of the Holocaust & Human Rights Center of Maine. Our Jewish Community Relations Council also presented an original artwork to the Watt Samaki Buddhist Temple in honor of our past year of friendship. Thank you to more than 150 community members who packed the JCA to celebrate Jewish-Asian unity. These include our friends at Khmer Maine, the Maine Jewish Museum, Azerbaijan Society of Maine, Chinese Gospel Church of Portland, Watt Samaki Buddhist Temple, Filipino-American Samahan of Maine, Chinese-American Friendship Association of Maine, Maine Asian-American Community Center, and The LUNAR Collective.