I hope you had a great week. 2025 has been quite a year for our Rhode Island Jewish community. I normally try to stay positive and focus on the good—and there has been so much good. We celebrated an incredible Jewish Culture Fest earlier this year, our day schools continue to grow, Jewish life is thriving in synagogues across our community, and our partnerships and relationships with other faith communities throughout Rhode Island have continued to deepen and flourish. 

At the same time, it is impossible to ignore the difficult moments our community has faced. As Rhode Islanders, we all felt the pain and loss from the Brown University shooting a few weeks ago—a scar that will take a long time to heal. In the midst of that tragedy, we also mourned as Jews, grieving the loss of community members in Australia who were targeted simply for coming together to celebrate who they are and the miracle of Hanukkah. And those were just the most recent events. This year also brought the arson attack at the home of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, the murder of two Israeli embassy staff, and the firebombing of Jews gathering peacefully in Boulder, Colorado. 

Here in Rhode Island, our community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the antisemitic hazing incident in Smithfield. While we are relieved that the district's superintendent has resigned, true justice has yet to be realized. We remain committed to advocating for accountability and to ensuring that every student can learn in an environment free from hate and antisemitism. 

It has been a tough year, without question. But the story of the Jewish people is, and always has been, one of resilience and hope. In moments like these, when it would be easy to focus only on what has gone wrong, I choose to focus on what has gone right—and on what lies ahead. I choose to focus not on the incidents themselves, but on the way our community responded: how we showed up for one another, stood together, and refused to be silent. I think of the hundreds who filled a Smithfield School Committee meeting, and the thousands who gathered in joy and pride at Jewish Culture Fest. We face our hardest moments together—and we will shape our future together. As we enter 2026, my hope is that we continue to lead with courage, unity, and compassion, and that we never allow hatred to define who we are or where we are going. 

Until next time, I wish you a safe, peaceful, and joyous Shabbat and a very happy 2026! 

Shabbat Shalom,
Adam Greenman
President & CEO