Alliance holds 4th annual meeting

Richard Licht, Cheryl Greenfeld Teverow and Janet Goldman after the program.

PROVIDENCE – On June 10, the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island held its 4th annual meeting at the Dwares Jewish Community Center. Hillary Schulman, development associate and member of Pastrami on R.I., opened the event with “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Hatikvah.”

Jeffrey Savit, president and CEO, spoke enthusiastically and optimistically about the future of the community, saying that he has always believed in the success of the Alliance, even when all indicators predicted disappointment. “Four years ago, who would have ever dreamed that despite the very challenging economic climate in which we all live, we would have been able to sustain our $3.1 million annual campaign, launch our $1.5 million Living on the Edge Initiative to help serve and meet the needs of our community’s most vulnerable, secure funding for and build a new Holocaust Memorial, and secure upwards of $5 million (with a final $1 million plus capital campaign taking place this summer) to renovate our lovely home, the Bonnie and Donald Dwares Jewish Community Center?” 

Savit stated that the Alliance enriches the lives of Jews in Rhode Island through philanthropy, volunteer recruitment and education. He said that the organization’s achievements are possible because of its warm and respectful collaboration with multiple partners, including donors, fiduciaries and members.

Savit said that what makes the Alliance strong is the community’s willingness to unite in the common goal – transforming Jewish values into action. Such lofty purpose, he went on, inspires collective support of meaningful initiatives such as JSA’s Kosher Food Pantry, JFS’s Kesher Program, Camp JORI and Alliance Isenberg ECC Scholarships.

Savit also mentioned the programs of partners, including HERC, URI and Brown Hillel, crediting the organization’s relationship with rabbis and synagogues for such accomplishments as the Alliance summer camp, afterschool initiatives and J-Fitness health and wellness.

His speech also addressed some challenges, including anti-Semitism, the financial vulnerability of the Jewish population and the decreasing number of the annual campaign donors.

In conclusion, Savit saluted the board members and offered gratitude to his staff, acknowledging the milestones the Alliance celebrated in the past year. He said, “Being hamesh, being a mensch, acting smart and exerting your best effort…This is what I demand from my staff and for everything we do at or for the Alliance, whether here at the Dwares JCC or anywhere across the state.”

Special guest speaker, Edward M. Mazze, distinguished university professor of Business Administration at the University of Rhode Island, took the podium next. He shared a speech he gave when a Speaker of the House asked him to address the legislature. Mazze said that he had studied all the states that were avoiding recession and observed that the successful ones had three elements in common.

First, all of them were business-friendly. Mazze encouraged Rhode Islanders to listen to business people, whose advice, according to him, has real meaning. Second, all thriving states supported education – an aspect that Mazze considers crucial to triumph. Third, the successful states illustrated a focused economic development strategy. He suggested that economic development only works if the community, individuals, businesses and educational institutions pitch in. Mazze encouraged the audience, “Our responsibility is to step up, whether you are a democrat, republican or an independent. You are a Rhode Islander – make the state move forward.”

Barbara Sokoloff, a member of the Board of Directors, presented the Nominating Committee Report, and Doris Feinberg, installing officer, welcomed the officers for the 2015-2016 boards of Jewish Alliance of Greater R.I., Jewish Federation Foundation and Alliance Reality, Inc.

Sharon Gaines, chair of the Board of Directors, provided the closing remarks. She promised to continue to work tirelessly to uphold the Alliance’s strong set of values. Gaines admitted to having been guided by a strategic plan that was developed for an organization different from the one that exists today. To address this, she and Savit are convening a committee that will focus on the needs of the community. Gaines said, “The fate of the Alliance rests with us.”