A Place for Jewish History and Culture in the Pine Tree State: an Interview with Gary Berenson of the Maine Jewish Museum

May 10, 2011

While Maine may not be the first place many people think of when considering Jewish cultural hotspots, there is in fact at least one very important Jewish place in Maine which is working to preserve, protect and share the legacy of Maine Jewry. In this interview, Maine Jewish Museum Executive Director Gary Berenson discusses what inspired the creation of this fascinating New England institution and how it has helped to rejuvenate the surrounding Jewish community.

NVR: For our readers who may not have heard of the Maine Jewish Museum, can you give us a brief overview of what inspired the creation of this museum and what you and the board hope to accomplish by creating this institution?

The inspiration was actually twofold. The first is that I had been on the board of directors of a synagogue located 2 blocks away when we sold the building to a developer in the 1970’s. It did not take long afterward for me to realize that we had made a mistake. I promised that I would not repeat that mistake if given a second opportunity. By 2003 Etz Chaim Synagogue was perhaps looking at a similar fate because of dwindling membership and participation. The second point was hearing about the renaissance at The Vilna Shul in Boston. After visiting the shul, we thought our building would lend itself well to a similar undertaking. Maine has no other museum devoted to Maine Jewish history, art and culture. It seemed like a natural fit.

NVR: According to your website, the museum is growing in a number of different stages; where are you now, and is the museum currently open to visitors?

Maine Jewish Museum (MJM) has essentially been restored to its original 1921 condition. Although we are starting the final phase of our capital campaign to add an elevator and a community room, the museum and synagogue both continue to operate at full levels. The museum’s core hours are Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 2:00 and at other times by appointment. Hours will likely expand during the summer months. Our final phase will be to expand our community outreach to touch many of the African and Asian immigrants who have moved into our neighborhood.

NVR: The Maine Jewish Museum is going to be located inside an old Maine synagogue which previously housed congregation Etz Chaim, can you tell us a little about the history of this synagogue and the community that built it?

Etz Chaim was created in 1921 when a group of congregants from nearby Shaarey Tphiloh broke away to create their own shul. The story is told that Etz Chaim, the “modern shul”, wanted to have sermons delivered in English rather than in the Yiddish still used at other synagogues in town. Many of the city’s leaders were among the congregation’s founders. Etz Chaim was home to two different groups with two different rabbis at the same time in the late 1920’s. The second group could be considered the first Conservative congregation in Portland. The experiment lasted only a few years. After the end of WWII the Jewish population began to move away from the city center and the congregation dwindled to a handful.  In 1985 Etz Chaim, while still continuing to operate, also became temporary home to Congregation Bet Ha’am, Maine’s first Reform congregation. Bet Ha’am soon outgrew the location, on their way to becoming the largest congregation in Maine. Etz Chaim continued to limp along until 2003, when the current board of directors began the restoration of the congregation and the building.

NVR: It seems as though visitors to the museum will encounter a wide range of items and information relating Maine Jewry, including art shows and historical exhibits –How do you decide what kind of exhibits the museum will have? Is there an over-arching vision that informs these decisions?

The directors’ vision is to offer cultural programming and content highlighting the history of the Maine Jewish community. To that end, we offer a regular series of simulcasts programs from New York’s famed 92nd Street Y, covering a wide variety of topics. We have held concerts, plays, lectures, etc. with themes and connections to Jewish experiences. We also have some displays highlighting Maine survivors of the Holocaust. We also have partnered with the Maine Holocaust and Human Rights Center in Augusta to offer additional programming. We try to offer programs that will generate interest to all ages. We are still, quite frankly, discovering what works best and will continue to experiment in this area to do the best job we can.

NVR: At the moment your organization has a website with a variety of information and links to resources on it – as the museum grows, do you plan to expand and improve the website? Will people who can’t make it up to Maine to see the actual museum be able to access some of your resources online?

We would love to expand our website and do plan to offer more connectivity. There is, however, a tremendous amount of information available currently through the links that we offer. The link to Documenting Maine Jewry available through our website will lead the viewer to the largest online Jewish state depository available in the United States.

NVR: Can you tell us a little about your own background and how you came to work for the Maine Jewish Museum?

My business background included running a family business and working for the largest disability insurer in the world. I grew up in Portland and have been a lay leader at Congregation Etz Chaim for the past 25 years. I was also the president of the congregation in 2003 when the plans were first circulated. I was one of the founding directors of the Museum’s separate board of directors and began work as a volunteer. When the efforts took more of my time, I became a part time paid employee in 2007. As the museum gained momentum, I was appointed the first full time Executive Director in 2009.

NVR: Is there anything else you would like to add?

With the post WWII migration of Jewish populations from urban to suburban locations, so many synagogues closed and were sold or demolished. Many more still struggle to survive. It is very uncommon to see a congregation return from the brink as Etz Chaim has done. Much of that is due to the success of the museum. We were blessed to welcome more than 400 people for our most recent High Holiday services. Even a bigger blessing is the opportunity that we now have to be able to share our story with future generations. Many from the younger generation have never even seen a European style immigrant-era synagogue, complete with balcony seating for women. They are amazed to see how we worshipped “in the old days.” Our goal at MJM is to build a world class facility that will endure for generations to come, so that many more will have an opportunity to get a glimpse of the way Jewish life used to be. More information on the Maine Jewish Museum