Meet at 8AM at Temple Shalom in Auburn, returning at 8PM or 
9AM at the Jewish Community Alliance in Portland, returning at 7PM

Join us for an amazing opportunity to see, hear and feel Jewish History—with an authentic Yiddish accent—at the most important and magnificent Yiddish cultural center in the world. Aaron Lansky, the man who saved a million Yiddish Books, created a modern shtetl (small Jewish village) in the middle of a western Massachusetts apple orchard. The “heymish (unpretentious) modern” architecture of the building alone is worth the trip. Our 90-minute tour will include expert explanation and discussion of exhibits ranging from a multi-media show of seminal Jewish-American moments from television and the movies, to fascinating portraits of Yiddish writers, to the last Yiddish linotype printer from the Yiddish Daily Forwards. There is also a spectacular display of photographs (on loan from St. Petersburg, Russia) taken by ethnographer S. Ansky, famous for writing the play, The Dybbuk (Between Two Worlds). Add to that an interactive experience of how traditional Jewish customs are having a modern renaissance. After the tour there will be a full hour to explore the museum on your own.  Don’t miss the gift shop—filled with some of the most unusual Jewish treasures anywhere!

The bus ride will be fun too—with a before-you-get-there video introduction from the Book Center, a short Yiddish story with English translation, a Yiddish cursing contest, and an intimate Yiddish concert by Rabbi Sruli and Lisa. Lunch, when we arrive in Western MA will be at the delicious Atkins Farm, a real treat.

$55 per person includes round-trip comfortable chartered coach bus transportation, with WiFi and lavatory, museum entrance and tour. Minimum 20 registered participants required by Thursday, April 13th, to run the trip. Sponsored by the JCA and Temple Shalom in Auburn

Register online at https://goo.gl/forms/q61BXjuMUZIgPA4n1 or by calling the JCA at (207) 772-1959