Donate

Tzedakah in Hebrew means “justice.” Donating time and money to Beth Israel Congregation is an act of tzedakah. It is a chance to impact another life, be a leader, leave a legacy, honor or memorialize a loved one, or simply find fulfillment in your own life.

When you support Beth Israel, you are engaged in sacred, creative, inspiring, and challenging efforts that will:

• deepen the Jewish lives of children and adults

• maintain access to professional clergy and teachers for the midcoast Maine Jewish community

• create a sense of community for each of us

• support the poor in our community

• educate and shape the future

• enrich your life

Beth Israel rests on a solid foundation of worship, study, social justice, and community. It is the challenge of our generation to preserve and strengthen what past generations have built. 

Beth Israel is here all year round, providing an open door for all during High Holidays and throughout the year. Membership dues do not cover the full cost of Beth Israel’s operations. Donations to the general fund ensure that we can meet our budgetary responsibilities from salaries to building maintenance.

Consider giving throughout the year and throughout your lifetime for a variety of occasions and with a multitude of goals. A gift to Beth Israel Congregation is a chance to impact another life, be a leader, leave a legacy, honor or memorialize a friend or loved one, or simply gain that good feeling of knowing you are supporting an important institution in our community.

Making a tax-deductible gift is easy. If you would like to make a contribution using a credit card, just click on the buttons below, and you will be taken through the quick and secure process.

To make a gift using a check or cash, please send it to:
Beth Israel Congregation, PO BOX 244 Bath, ME 04530

If you would like to make a gift of stock or a bequest, please contact the treasurer.

In honoR/memory fund

(see below for High Holiday Yizkor Book donation)

Honorary Gifts: a wonderful way to celebrate life’s special moments: birth, anniversary, birthday, B'nai Mitzvah, graduation, job well done, or milestone.

Yahrzeit and Memorial Gifts: a meaningful way to show sympathy and remember a loved one or friend. 

GENERAL FUND

Your contribution will help us meet the ongoing operational costs for Beth Israel Congregation. We are here for you. Please be here for us.

Reg Hannaford Education FUND

The ongoing education of all congregation members is a priority. Please let us know in the “Additional Information” section of the online donation form how you would like your donation directed.

HIGH HOLIDAY YIZKOR BOOK DONATION

Each year our congregation provides a memorial book for the remembrance of departed loved ones. It is an opportunity for each member to make a personal entry in memory of family members or others to be inscribed in the Yizkor Service Book of Remembrance.

Please email Beth Israel Congregation to submit names to be included in the Yizkor Book.

building fund

Our buildings provide lovely spaces for worship, education and community gatherings. Providing adequate upkeep, classroom space and handicapped access is a constant financial challenge.

Rabbi's discretionary fund

This fund provides an opportunity to enable the Rabbi to do the work of tzedakah by facilitating a response to requests for aid. The fund is always used to help others in the name of the members who generously donate to it.

Memorial Wall Plaques

Memorializing the names of loved ones expresses gratitude for the gift of their precious lives and hope that their spirits continue to inspire us.

Members can add a plaque with the name of a loved one to the beautiful Memorial Wall at Beth Israel's Synagogue. Please contact Rabbi Vinikoor to arrange for the proper wording on the plaque. The cost of a plaque is $250.

endowment and planned giving

Our endowment was established to preserve and enhance the rich legacy of our congregation by securing vital endowment funds. It provides many ways for congregants to create a permanent legacy that will nourish Jewish life for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, and for the generations to come.