June 12-14, 2026
Thomas College
Waterville, Maine

The Maine Conference for Jewish Life is a pluralistic opportunity for superior Jewish learning and joyous celebration in central Maine. Living far from America’s major urban centers (and from one another), Jews in northern New England rarely gain access to the Jewish world’s finest scholars and cultural innovators, or the experience of being surrounded by a critical mass of other Jews. This conference brings Jews from across the region together in order to gain familiarity with the jewels of Jewish civilization, convene with other Jews from around the state, exchange best practices for crafting successful rural Jewish lives, experience the benefits and challenges of celebrating in a pluralistic environment, and revel in Torah learning.

Our provisional schedule has been posted, and will be regularly updated in the coming months. If a change in our scheduling causes you to need to change your registration, we are happy to accommodate you.

Have questions about the conference? Please check out our FAQ page, and don't hesitate to email Mel Weiss at [email protected] with any additional queries.

What's This New Registration Page?

The Center for Small Town Jewish Life is committed to programming that is affordable and sustainable. We are grateful for the support of our donors and the commitment of our participants and community members. This year, we are trying a new pricing system.

The true cost of this year's Maine Conference for Jewish Life is about $500 per participant. We are committed to offering accessible learning that respects both the financial needs of our participants, and our needs to compensate our staff for their time and expertise. We're offering three price options per registration — a tier for those who can comfortably pay close to the true cost of the event, a tier for those can comfortably pay a majority of that true cost, and a tier for those who can comfortably contribute a basic access amount.

We value the participation of all community members, no matter their financial situation, and we rely on donations to ensure that our programs remain accessible to all. Please select the pricing option that's right for you, and please consider making a donation to support our work. If none of these options are viable for you, please contact Mel Weiss for more information on financial support.

Please note that if you do not receive a confirmation email, your registration did not go through. 

Adjust the last column with the number of people in your party, then choose the number of days from the menu that will appear.