The Jewish Bicentennial Committee was formed in 1975 by the Jewish Federation of Southern Maine to plan an appropriate way to celebrate the Bicentennial. After much deliberation over the best way in which to do so, the decision was made to create an oral history folklore of Portland Jewry.

Forty-four Portland Jewish residents were interviewed, the majority over the age of fifty and born of immigrant parents or were immigrants themselves. In reading or listening to these oral histories, one will learn of their backgrounds and family and community traditions, as well as the contributions they have made within the Greater Portland area.

Each record contains the final transcript of the interview, a set of audio files of the interview, and some include a photograph of the interviewee. The full transcripts of the interviews are held in Portland Public Library Special Collections Archive and can be viewed in the Portland Room upon request.