Shabbat Shalom,
Earlier this week, I came across a quote from Vince Lombardi, the Hall of Fame football coach, displayed at a roadside rest area where Sally and I stopped on our way home from visiting our grandchildren:
"Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
While Lombardi was speaking about football, his words could just as easily describe why the Jewish Federation model of giving has been successful for more than a century.
The Federation movement was built on the understanding that the challenges facing the Jewish community are too large and too complex for any one individual, congregation, agency, or donor to address alone. Its strength lies in bringing people together around a shared vision and a shared responsibility. Individual commitment becomes a collective impact.
Our name may have changed to the Jewish Alliance in 2011, but our roots in the Federation system continue to guide our work. When donors contribute to the Jewish Alliance, they are doing more than supporting a single program or organization. They are investing in an entire ecosystem of Jewish life.
Through the Jewish Alliance, resources are pooled, priorities are established collectively, and support is directed where it is needed most. That may mean caring for vulnerable seniors, strengthening Jewish education, combating antisemitism, supporting agencies in Israel during times of crisis, assisting families facing financial hardship, or building community through the Bonnie and Donald Dwares JCC and our many partner agencies.
As this year's Community Campaign draws to a close, Lombardi's words take on even greater meaning. The campaign's success is measured not only by the dollars raised, but also by the number of people who choose to participate in this collective endeavor. Every contribution is an affirmation of our shared responsibility to one another and our shared commitment to sustaining and strengthening Jewish life in Rhode Island.
The finish line of this year's campaign – June 30, 2026 – is fast approaching. We welcome every additional commitment, whether you have not yet given or already have. I invite each of us to consider how we might strengthen the collective effort that Lombardi described. Together, through our commitment and generosity, we ensure that the Jewish Alliance remains a source of strength, support, and connection for the Rhode Island Jewish community today and for generations to come.
I am deeply grateful to the hundreds of donors, volunteers, solicitors, and community leaders who have helped make this year's campaign possible. Their generosity ensures that we can continue to care for those in need, strengthen Jewish identity, support our partner agencies, and respond to challenges both locally and globally.
May this Shabbat provide an opportunity to rest, reflect, and appreciate the many ways we are connected to one another. And may we continue to draw strength from the knowledge that when individuals commit themselves to a shared vision, extraordinary things become possible.
Shabbat Shalom,
Harris Chorney
Interim President and CEO
