The Samuel Osher Memorial Library

Welcome to the Library.

The Samuel Osher Memorial Library is named for Sam Osher, a generous member of the Congregation Etz Chaim community who continuously supported the synagogue’s growth. The library, located upstairs in Congregation Etz Chaim, is a useful resource for synagogue members, providing access to a unique collection of nearly 4,000 items for loan. From books and educational material to music and movies, the library’s offerings have something for the whole family. And the Library provides a welcoming and comfortable physical space that may be enjoyed while attending events and services at the synagogue.

Library Hours & Access

The Samuel Osher Memorial Library is currently operating with limited hours. Plans to provide the congregation and the broader community greater access are currently under development. Please check back on this webpage as well as on our calendar, https://etzchaimme.org/calendar for updates.

If you would like more information or would like to make arrangements for borrowing library materials, please email
David Strassler

News About The Library!

Volunteers on the Library Committee have been hard at work revitalizing our beloved Samuel Osher Memorial Library. It’s been cleaned, reorganized, and is now accessible online!

Come into the library during scheduled events and a library committee volunteer will you help you check out your books.

Click Here to Access the Library

Our Library Programs

Women’s Book Club

The Women’s Book Club provides a friendly and informal gathering space for women who love to read and discuss books to come together socially and intellectually. Focusing on books written by and about Jewish women, the club meets monthly on a year-round basis, covering 12 books, selected by the group, per year. (See below for this year’s selections.) Led by Susan Pierce and Maureen King, the meetings boast lively discussions about the book-of-the-night as well as other books that our avid readers are enjoying. They enrich the discussions with insights from her own reading, links to author interviews, and literary articles. Come share your thoughts and enjoy good company. All meetings are currently being held on Zoom.

For more information, contact Susan Pierce at:

bookclub@etzchaimme.org

Women’s Book Club Selections

January 8, 2026

On Her Own

Lihi Lapid

Thriller & Mystery

Year Published:

2024

Page Count:

336

February 12, 2026

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed

Lori Gottlieb

Humor/Contemporary Nonfiction

Year Published:

2019

Page Count:

432

March 12, 2026

Fagin the Thief 

Allison Epstein

Historical Fiction

Year Published:

2025

Page Count:

336

April 9, 2026

Family of Spies

Christine Kuehn

Historical Nonfiction/Family Biography

Year Published:

2025

Page Count:

272

May 14, 2026

Queen Esther

John Irving

Historical Fiction

Year Published:

2025

Page Count:

432

June 11, 2026

Unearthed: A Lost Actress, a For­bid­den Book, and a Search for Life in the Shad­ow of the Holocaust

Meryl Frank

Historical Nonfiction/Family Biography

Year Published:

2023

Page Count:

256

July 9, 2026

Long Island Compromise

Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Contemporary Fiction

Year Published:

2024

Page Count:

464

August 13, 2026

Maine Char­ac­ters

Hannah Orenstein

Contemporary Jewish Life

Year Published:

2025

Page Count:

400

September 10, 2026

Heart of a Stranger

Angela Buch­dahl

Autobiography

Year Published:

2025

Page Count:

304

October 8, 2026

We Would Never

Tova Mirvis

Fiction

Year Published:

2025

Page Count:

368

November 12, 2026

Car­ole King: She Made the Earth Move

Jane Eis­ner

Biography

Year Published:

2025

Page Count:

256

December 10, 2026

Sadie on a Plate

Aman­da Elliot

Romance

*please note, due to Hanukkah, there is a potential for book discussion date to change to December 17.

Year Published:

2022

Page Count:

352

Children’s Books

If you’re interested in starting your own library of children’s books, please consider joining PJ Library, a program that distributes colorful children’s book to Jewish kids around the nation.

Visit pjlibrary.com if you would like to join.

Attention, All Book Worms!

Our call for library volunteers will be renewed when the Samuel Osher Memorial Library reopens. Please check the CEC Calendar page or the Library page for updates.

Contact David for more information.

Support Us

Make
a Donation

Join Us

Become
a Member

Connect With Us

Sign Up on Our Email List
We are deeply grateful to the Sam L. Cohen Foundation for its generous support in the redesign of our website. The foundation’s commitment to preserving Jewish education, tradition, and culture in Southern Maine has made it possible for us to share our mission and connect with our members and the community more effectively.

Mailing Address:
Congregation Etz Chaim
P.O. Box 1473
Biddeford, ME 04005

Physical Address:
Congregation Etz Chaim
34 Bacon Street
Biddeford, ME