R.I.’s Jewish community ‘strong’ and ‘vigorous’

The Alliance’s 2016 Annual Campaign Community-Wide Event kicked off with two receptions for Annual Campaign donors. One welcomed Silver Circle members, those who have given for 25 consecutive years. The other celebrated the Double Chai Society, those who give $360 or more annually.

Event co-chairs Lezli and Jamie Pious then welcomed the audience. They were followed by Sharon Gaines, Alliance Board chair, who reminded the crowd about the vitality of the community and the Dwares JCC. “Together we are making a difference,” she said.

Mitzi Berkelhammer, Alliance vice chair of philanthropy, thanked donors for their gifts and announced that in the first six weeks of the 2016 campaign, $1.3 million has been raised. She pointed out that the 2015 campaign raised enough to help support 300 programs and services worldwide.

Lexi Kutenplon, a University of Rhode Island sophomore who grew up in Barrington, gave a poignant speech about how the Jewish community has helped shape her life. She has benefited from many Alliance programs, and she spoke about how each experience helped her to grow and develop as a person. She characterized her participation in March of the Living two years ago as life-changing. “I can’t thank the Alliance enough,” she told the crowd.

After Kutenplon’s talk, Alliance CEO and president Jeffrey Savit spoke about the vitality of the Rhode Island Jewish community before introducing Dr. Deborah Lipstadt.

“Here in Rhode Island, we are strong, we are vigorous,” he said. “We have an unbelievable commitment.”

– Fran Ostendorf