If you will it, it is no dream.
אם תרצו, אין זו אגדה
Born from small Shabbat dinners at kitchen tables and a desire for Jewish community post-10/7, a handful of families came together seeking a proudly Jewish and Zionist space, a place where children could learn Hebrew, connect with Israel as our ancestral and modern homeland, explore our shared heritage, and feel the warmth of true community.
Little did we know we needed a much bigger kitchen table! What started as a dream among friends has grown into a thriving chavurah. We now enjoy the company of over 30 families from across Maine and continue to welcome new members!
Meet the Founders
We’re three moms and close friends who turned a shared vision into Habayit. We wanted our kids to grow up proud, connected, and surrounded by a Jewish community that feels like home. So we made it happen.
Habayit is our passion. Fueled by caffeine, group texts at 11 PM, and the sight of our children learning and playing together, we genuinely love watching this little chavurah grow.
Co-Founders Leora Kirk, Julia Bailin, and Jennie Shapiro
Julia Bailin
I was born and raised in Bangor, Maine, and I have a deep love for the character and unique needs of the Jewish community in our state. After meeting and marrying my cute Jewish boyfriend, I fell in love with Judaism myself and converted in 2010.
I have traveled to Israel twice since 10/7. Those experiences permanently changed me, and inspired a desire to build a warm and welcoming Jewish community by helping children and families explore, strengthen, and deepen their own proud Jewish identities.
When I’m not thinking about Habayit, I serve on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine and work full time in insurance technology. I am also an unapologetic bird nerd. My husband Dan and I live in Yarmouth and are raising three proud Jews: Penny (11), Olly (8), and Levvy (3). And two cats, Rhubarb and Pie.
Leora Kirk
I grew up in the small desert town of Arad in Israel’s Negev region, where on a clear day I could see the Dead Sea from my living room window. After completing my IDF service, I moved to Maine to pursue my education, met my husband Shane, and in the best possible way, got “stuck” here.
For many years, I searched for a Jewish community that felt close to home, one that embraces and loves Israel responsibly. I am therefore deeply grateful to now be part of founding and building Habayit, helping create the kind of warm, connected space I had long hoped to find.
Beyond my work with Habayit, I facilitate the Israelis in Maine community and have a passion for teaching Hebrew. Professionally I have grown my career in HR and currently work as a Director of Human Resources for a local company.
I love spending my weekends baking bread and treats for family and friends, and particularly for my two spirited daughters, Emilia (10) and Maisie (7) who can often be found baking alongside me in our little blue kitchen.
Jennie Shapiro
I am a fourth-generation Jewish Mainer. My great-grandparents came straight from Eastern Europe to Portland and helped build Jewish life here from the ground up. After immigrating, my great-grandmother and namesake started a local furniture store. A chair with her name still sits in Etz Chaim Synagogue, quietly proving that my great-grandparents’ furniture – and our Jewish roots in Maine – were made to endure way longer than anyone expected.
My husband, Daniel, and I grew up in Portland’s Jewish community. We felt most connected to Judaism through our families’ chavurah celebrations, lively gatherings where kids ran wild and caused chaos while the adults talked about whatever adults talk about. Those warm, messy evenings taught me that real community feels like family.
My love for Israel came alive through family visits, where I experienced the living heartbeat of the Jewish people, a sense of shared story, language, and destiny that transcends geography. I believe Jewish kids in Maine deserve to feel that same pulse, not as a distant idea, but as part of who they are.
I vividly remember watching the endless crawl of the clock in my Hebrew school. As a former high school teacher and current mom of three to Avi (9), Mirah (5), and Noa (2), I am determined to provide a different experience for my children. I love building experiences that foster gibush (togetherness). I also love a good book paired with a steaming cup of tea.
Our Community
A community is nothing without its members, particularly ours. Our members volunteer by teaching Hebrew and Torah, leading songs and playing instruments, cooking lunches and holiday treats, organizing sessions, setting up rooms, sharing snacks, facilitating adult discussions, playing with the little ones, hosting parties, holding other people’s babies on their hips, taking out the trash, sharing a board game, and just enjoying each other’s company. We have our own little kibbutz here in Maine.
Ready to Connect?
We’d love to hear from you!