A bit of history

The Jewish Home for the Aged in Providence. /R.I. Jewish Historical Association

In 1912, several members of the Women’s Association (originally), a volunteer organization that provided aid to needy Jewish families, became aware of the predicament of elderly Jews in the community, and established The Jewish Home for the Aged in Providence.  The home, supported by the fundraising and volunteer efforts of the Women’s Association, cared for the Jewish elderly and infirm of Rhode Island for 80 years.

When the home closed in 1993, the Women’s Association maintained its commitment to the Jewish aged of Rhode Island by supporting Jewish Eldercare of Rhode Island (JERI), which was formed as an outreach program to meet the needs of former residents of the home.  In 1999, the corporation that had run the home changed its name to the Jewish Seniors Agency of Rhode Island (JSA). Today, through its ongoing volunteer work and fundraising, the Women’s Association supports the important mission of the JSA to provide a continuum of care for Rhode Island’s elderly.

Fun Fact:  Outgoing Co-President Sylvia Brown is the granddaughter of Rachel Rosen, one of the pioneering ladies who established the home more than 100 years ago.