Dear Friends, As the season changes, and we move from autumn to winter, the colder weather ushers in Hanukkah and the festival of lights. While gift giving is connected with Hanukkah, I want to take a moment to celebrate the amazing outpouring from this past Tuesday as part of what we called “Giving Chai Day” (or […]
Dear Friends, It is impossible to share the full range of emotions I have felt over the last week. At this time last Friday I had just returned from a week-long trip to Israel with more than 3,000 Jewish Federation volunteers and professionals. I felt the tremendous pride and joy and wonder that always accompanies […]
Dear Friends, We are all shocked and saddened by yesterday’s mass shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims of this senseless attack, to their families, and to all those affected. If anyone in our community has been personally affected by this tragedy, we offer you our […]
Dear Friends, It is difficult to watch the news these days. In today’s political climate, it seems every campaign advertisement is focused on tearing us apart and telling us what is wrong with the opposing party or candidate. Even social media platforms are increasingly contentious and toxic. By the time you read this, I’ll be in […]
Dear Friends, As the new year kicks-off, so too does the Alliance’s Annual Campaign, and I wanted to share how humbled and grateful I am for the generosity of our greater Rhode Island community. Over the last few weeks, I have witnessed first-hand the spirit of giving that exists throughout the state. In mid-September, our […]
Dear Friends, As a community, we are at our strongest when we come together as one. Whether that means standing up against injustice or wrongdoing, working with our partners to tackle an issue of common concern, or coming together to make a lasting impact. When we come together, we exemplify the power of our collective […]
Dear Friends, This past weekend marked the one-year anniversary of protesters descending on Charlottesville, Virginia. While I’m keenly aware that hate exists, I cannot recall an instance in my lifetime when it so blatantly took to the streets of America. Images of crowds carrying torches, wearing swastikas, and brandishing semi-automatic rifles while chanting slogans like […]
Dear Friends, Last week Jamie Pious, Alliance Vice Chair of Philanthropy, and I had the honor of joining 130 colleagues from around the United States and Canada on a tour of programming in Berlin and Budapest sponsored by Jewish Federations of North America. It is often difficult to articulate the impact of our overseas programming […]
Dear Friends, June 30, 2018 marked the close of the 2018 Alliance Annual Campaign. We are happy to report that the Campaign closed at $3.12 million dollars, an increase of approximately $60,000 over last year. While we often use the metric of ‘dollars raised’ to measure the success of the Campaign, what’s truly impressive is […]
Dear Friends, There’s no better indicator that it’s summertime in Rhode Island than seeing the Dwares JCC filled with Summer J-Campers. As a parent and former educator, I can attest to the need for children to experience continuous learning during the summer months. Aside from working parents needing to find care for their children, the […]
