Outgoing Alliance chair reflects on past three years

This speech was presented June 12 to the annual meeting of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. The remarks have been edited for publication

This is my final presentation to you as Chair of the Board of the Jewish Alliance. I want to thank the past presidents of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Alliance for serving as my role models and mentors for the past three years. I would like to also thank my rabbis, Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman and Rabbi Sarah Mack, for their continued support.

This is an evening of change as I step down and Jamie Pious takes over as the new Chair of the Board. There have been many changes in the last three years. In my personal life, a wedding, a funeral and the birth of two granddaughters. At the Alliance, we have also had many changes. Here we are in this beautifully remodeled building, which reopened during the time I was Chair and has continued essentially nonstop renovations over my entire term. The restoration of this building has helped create a more desirable anchor for our Jewish community.

Of course, the change in Executive Directors, which I did not anticipate when my tenure began, has created new challenges and opportunities as Adam Greenman has put his own stamp on the organization.

Trine Lustig, our Chief Development Officer, moved on to other opportunities, but we were fortunate to hire Sara Masri, who worked for the Jewish Federation early in her career and is very knowledgeable about our organization and community. I am confident Sara will be a very capable addition.

Another big change is that our $60 million endowment is now being managed by the Rhode Island Foundation. We still retain the same controls, but have the benefit of a steady and professional oversight. I look forward to working with the Rhode Island Foundation in my new role as Chair of the Jewish Federation Foundation.

On a personal note, one of the highlights for me was attending the Lion of Judah conference in Florida. A number of us had the pleasure of making our daughters members of the Women’s Alliance Endowment Fund, hopefully to encourage the next generation to stay involved and see how difficult our allocation process is. At one point, I had a conversation with staff as to whom the community would miss us the most if we ceased to exist. Would it be children in our Early Childhood Center, or would it be the students at the Athens Greece Jewish Day school, the children at Camp JORI, or the young people in the summer camps in the former Soviet Union who have two weeks a year to learn about their Jewish roots and keep alive their Jewish identity?

Would it be college students attending Hillel, who are trying to figure out their Jewish identity as adults on their own, or young adults in Berlin and Budapest who have just realized that they have Jewish ancestry? Would it be seniors at lunch in our building or Holocaust survivors living in an assisted living center in Israel. These are the people that need us. Locally, and in Israel and the entire world, Jewish community does rely on us. We feel the pressure of serving them and encouraging the community to continue its financial support so we don’t let them down.

Thank you to Jamie Pious, our campaign chair. Of course, I also want to thank Jamie for taking on the challenge of Board Chair and wish him well.

I want to thank all of you in this room who contributed to the 2019 campaign. As part of the Federation umbrella, we touch more Jewish lives on the planet than any other organization.

Many of you contribute to the campaign without thinking where your money goes. Next time you have a free moment, call us at the Alliance and we will arrange a visit with a core agency so you can see firsthand the work we do locally.

And if you are lucky enough to be on a trip to Israel or some other part of the world where Jews live, we can help you plan a visit to a Jewish site that received our services.

I would like to thank the Board of the Jewish Alliance, and the executive committee for all of its support and work this year. It was a pleasure working with all of you and I have learned so much from all of you. You have been an amazingly supportive team.

A special thank you to Adam Greenman. These are times of change in demographics, and how people interact with charitable organizations overall, and these changes raise a new set of challenges. Adam has worked to ensure that we deal with our challenges and opportunities. His is not an easy job!

I also want to thank the entire Alliance staff. My work with you has been a high point in my years as Chair and many more as a volunteer.

Last October, after the incident at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, someone commented to me how it is terrible that the children have to see police as they come into school every morning. I answered no; my granddaughter always gives a little wave as she walks by. Unfortunately, this is the reality of our life and I want to thank the Providence Police for being such a positive force.

And a special thank you to Gail Putnam, you have been my Alliance rock for all these years. You are the best; truly a woman of valor.

To Sharon Gaines: to anyone who has listened to me talk, they know Sharon and I share the same birthday. Recently, I was speaking with someone who was also a Gemini and she said to me a Gemini needs their special Gemini twin, Sharon, that is you.

Finally, to my family. My husband, Bob, has supported me in all my endeavors. And to my husband and my parents of blessed memory, whose generosity has allowed me the time and resources to focus on the work of the Alliance and other worthy activities. To my children, thank you for being you. I hope I am a good role model.

And finally, to the five most special people in my life: Sidney and Ida in Seattle, Aurora in Chicago, and especially Maya and Louisa here in Providence. Thank for your being there. I do this for you in the hope that there will remain a strong Jewish world for you to grow up in.

MITZI BERKELHAMMER served as chair of the board of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island from 2016-2019. She now serves as chair of the Jewish Federation Foundation board.