About the Jewish Community Fund of Maine

The Jewish Community Fund of Maine (JCFM) was established to administer a transformational bequest from Alfred and Dorothy Suzi Osher (z”l) that established the Alfred and Dorothy Suzi Osher Charitable Fund (The Osher Fund). This long-term resource exists to enable a future in which Jewish life in Maine thrives and connections flourish, fostering learning, justice, and joy for generations to come.

By strengthening and sustaining Jewish life across the state through thoughtful stewardship and responsible grantmaking, we stay true to the Osher’s generous spirit of mitzvot (good deeds) and tzedakah (charity) that continue to make an everlasting impact upon our region.

About The Osher Fund

The Osher Fund is a permanent grantmaking endowment designed to last forever. Through careful investment and stewardship, it grows over time while providing grants each year to support Jewish life in Maine. We award grants to organizations and programs that align with the Fund's mission and priorities through an application and review process.

Our Mission

We are committed to enhancing the vitality of Jewish Maine by funding Jewish communal organizations focused on Jewish traditions, values, education, and wellbeing.

Our Approach

We operate with a commitment to clarity, responsibility, and long-term impact. We believe that strong communities are built through sustained support, thoughtful investment, and an understanding of the diverse needs of Jewish life across Maine, including communities that are geographically distant or historically underserved.

Our approach is guided by:

  • Careful stewardship of resources to maintain the fund in perpetuity;

  • Respect for the unique character of each organization within our broad community;

  • Focus on meaningful, lasting impact

Statewide Reach

Jewish life in Maine extends across cities, towns, and rural communities.

A 2024 Maine Jewish Community Study conducted by the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies and the Steinhardt Social Research Institute at Brandeis University, funded by the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, The Center for Small Town Jewish Life, Lisa Gorman and the Sam L. Cohen Foundation confirms this point. The study identified approximately 10,600 Jewish households of 28,000 individuals with 17,600 in Southern Maine and 10,400 spread across the rest of the state.

We are committed to serving the full geographic breadth of the state, supporting organizations and initiatives wherever they are based and recognizing the importance of connection, access, and visibility for communities that may be more remote.

We welcome applications from communities of all sizes—including those in rural and underserved areas—that support work to strengthen Jewish life, culture, education, and wellbeing across Maine.

Looking Forward

The Fund exists not only to support the present, but to help ensure a strong and connected future for Jewish life in Maine.

Through continued investment in community, culture, and wellbeing, we seek to sustain and strengthen the institutions and relationships that define Jewish life across the state.

Board of Directors

Rachael Alfond, Board Chair

Thomas Rosen, Treasurer

Molly Curren Rowles, Secretary

Laura Kittle, Board Member

Benjamin Marcus, Board Member

Ellie Miller, Board Member

Lena Geraghty, Board Member

Committee Members

Judy Bertram

Ashley Dipietro Inbar

Brian Goldberg

Jerry Goldberg

Eric Kolben

David Levenson

Jeremy Moser

Dan Pearl

Stuart Piltch

JCFM is a registered 501(c)(3)

EIN: 39-3567907