Congregation Bet Ha’am, located in South Portland, Maine is the spiritual home for an active and growing community of Reform Jews.

With more than 350 member households, over 150 Religious School students from pre-school to high school, weekly Shabbat worship and Torah study, and dozens of other opportunities each month for learning about and participating in Jewish life, Bet Ha’am plays a large role in the Jewish community of Southern Maine.

Since its founding in 1985 by a small group of individuals looking for a Reform alternative to the existing Portland synagogues, Congregation Bet Ha’am has steadily grown and flourished. We have always been known for the unique spirit and warmth that mark our activities, particularly our worship. Now with more than 350 member households, the Congregation has become a central institution in the Southern Maine Jewish community. 

Our Hebrew name, “Bet Ha’am,” means “House of the People,” and we are particularly proud that we are a welcoming community for a diverse group of families and individuals.  From the beginning, Bet Ha’am’s emphasis has been to help its members connect – or re-connect – to Judaism by providing an open, caring and energetic community.

Congregation Bet Ha'am offers a variety of adult education courses. Some, including Introduction to Judaism and the Hebrew language. We also offer programs for infants, toddlers and children through age five, as well as religious school on Sundays for Kindergarten to Grade 10. At home, they apply this knowledge to their unique realities. When school and home combine successfully, children see themselves as part of the greater fabric of the Jewish people and the Jewish tradition.

Download the new 2013-2014 Registration Form