WHEREAS, Jewish Americans have resided in Maine since colonial times, and today, there are over 12,000 Jews living in our state; and

WHEREAS, Bangor was home to Maine’s first synagogue, established in 1849, as well as the largest Jewish community at the time which consisted of six families; and

WHEREAS, throughout their presence in Maine, Jews have faced antisemitism, frequently called the “world’s oldest hatred” and a scourge that still persists today; and

WHEREAS, despite these challenges, Jewish Mainers have helped to shape our state, nation, and world, including through their contributions as elected officials and civil servants, artists, musicians, actors, philanthropists, journalists, lawyers, physicians, community boosters, business leaders, and following the 2020 spacewalk of Caribou native Jessica Meir, have contributed to space exploration; and

WHEREAS, today, organizations such as the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, Maine Jewish Museum, the Maine Jewish Film Festival, Chabad of Maine, along with Jewish congregations across the state, work in partnership to preserve Jewish culture in Maine while celebrating the contributions and accomplishments of those who came before;

NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Janet T. Mills, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2024 as

Jewish American Heritage Month

throughout the State of Maine, and I urge all Maine citizens to recognize this observance.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this ninth day of May Two Thousand Twenty-Four