An important spring tradition

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It’s spring! Flowers are popping up. Days are warming up. That can only mean one thing: The Jewish Voice’s annual Patron Campaign is underway.

Not what you thought I was going to write about?  Well, it probably isn’t your first thought as our long winter comes to an end, but we hope it will be one of your thoughts between now and June 30.

You probably noticed that one of those pesky return envelopes fell out of your most recent newspaper. You can use that to send in your contribution. Better yet, you can visit our website – jvhri.org – and donate online. The button is quite prominent at the top of the homepage.

This is the fourth year I’ve written about the Patron Campaign. I’ve explained the value of Jewish journalism. I’ve reflected on the importance of your community newspaper. I won’t repeat myself here – you’re probably well aware of how important this paper is to the Rhode Island Jewish community.

We hear from our readers every day. People come up to me in the grocery store and in local shops. They smile at me on the street. They tell me I look familiar. Why? Because they see my photo in each issue of the paper (yes, the photo is current).

People who have been featured in articles tell me that they too have been approached by readers who want to comment on what they read, or offer congratulations, or ask a question, or just say hello.  

Readers also write to us. They tell us they agree with this or that article – or maybe they disagree. They offer related thoughts, or maybe a related anecdote. They even bring us on their travels, more evidence that “We Are Read.”

And we deliver all this content without charging for subscriptions or single copies. But we need community support to keep the Voice going.

We are grateful for the allocation we receive from the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. Without its support, we could not publish. But it’s not enough. We are also grateful for the advertisements that cover a portion of our expenses each issue – but it’s still not enough. We still need your help.

If you own a business, consider advertising in the Voice, in print or online – or both. Printed publications nationwide have seen a downturn in advertising; if you compare the Voice of five years ago to the Voice of today, the drop in the number of ads is shocking. But newspapers are still considered among the most effective advertising investment. 

Please patronize our advertisers.  They are supporting you as well as us! And tell them you saw their ads in The Voice. That way they will continue to recognize the value of their investment.

We are printing fewer, smaller papers these days in an effort to hold the line on costs. But we believe that our papers are being shared more often and that more people are reading our content on our website.

We are still a vital community, and part of what binds us together is the community news and information in The Voice.

While our emphasis is increasingly on local news, we also bring you news about the greater Jewish community in the United States, in Israel and around the world. Our goal is to give you news, features and perspectives you won’t see in mainstream media outlets.

We hope you agree that The Jewish Voice remains a valuable community resource and part of the glue that holds our community together. No contribution is too small to show your support.

Thank you!

Patron Campaign