Looking back at Jewish Rhode Island in 5779

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This is a time of introspection for many of us. We’ve welcomed 5780 with joy and anticipation. We’ve heard the sound of the shofar and look forward to the coming days.

And we look back on what’s happened – the good and the bad – in the past year.

We have much to review at Jewish Rhode Island.

The past year has brought major changes to your community newspaper.

We bid farewell to the biweekly Jewish Voice and welcomed Jewish Rhode Island, a monthly paper with a fresh look to match the new name. We reorganized a bit in an effort to bring you news from more communities throughout greater Rhode Island, while keeping some of the features you told us you wanted.

And we continue to gradually add new content. Our latest addition is “The Conversation,” which offers two viewpoints on a hot topic in our community. For the response to our first topic about guns in the synagogue, see page 9.

I am excited to be able to contribute to a civil dialogue in our community, and hope interest in this feature will continue to grow as we introduce a new topic every other month.

In addition, our mid-month electronic newsletter made its debut this past year. The e-newsletter keeps you up-to-date on news, features and events that might not have made it into the print paper. If you aren’t receiving the e-newsletter, send your email address to editor@jewishallianceri.org and we will add you to the list. Or, you can register for it on our website, at www.jewishrhody.org./register.html.

Online, we are working to keep our website, jewishrhody.org, fresh and interesting. The e-newsletter links to new articles on the website as well as those you might have missed in your print paper. And the entire print edition is available online. Also look on the website for expanded versions of some print articles, as well as   additional photos.

On the advertising side of the paper, we welcomed a new advertising director this past year, Peter Zeldin. He and longtime advertising representative Karen Borger are working hard to build the base of advertisers that support the paper. And we hope our readers will support our advertisers as well. When you purchase goods and services from these businesses and individuals, make sure you tell them that you saw their ad in Jewish Rhode Island. We are truly grateful for all our advertisers’ support.

As Jewish Rhode Island continues to evolve, we have heard from many readers about what they like, and don’t like, about the new paper. We take all those comments seriously and hope you will continue to read and comment on the paper. As I’ve written many times, this is a community paper and your input is important. We welcome your support on our journey to cover our unique community.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me at editor@jewishallianceri.org with your letters to the editor, suggestions, story ideas, photos from your trips and other news. I am happy to hear from you!

As I look back on 5779, I am grateful to everyone who helps produce this newspaper and contributes to it, from our supporters at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island to our Patron Campaign donors, advertisers, writers, editors and hardworking staff.

May 5780 be a happy, healthy and peaceful year for us all!