Books on the Beach raises funds for Hadassah projects

Members of the “original” Newport Chapter of Hadassah planned a unique fundraiser years ago, and the event named Books on the Beach was created. Now in its 11th year, that wonderful event has grown and is now hosted by Hadassah Rhode Island and Hadassah Southern New England Region, drawing both men and women to a beautiful summer beach-side location on Aquidneck Island.

The original luncheon, held at a restaurant, featured local authors, and it gave birth to this most important fundraiser for Hadassah. Judy Shefshick-Karll, the coordinator of the Aug. 5, 2026, event has said, “The importance of our Books on the Beach fundraiser is that it brings together like-minded men and women from all of New England to share in Hadassah’s mission and values, and to enjoy a beautiful location with authors who have meaning to us. And in this time of great need for the State of Israel, Hadassah’s needs are greater than ever.”

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, was founded in 1912 before the State of Israel was founded, and before American women could vote. Across today’s generations, and across the globe, Hadassah has over 300,000 members, associates and supporters who work productively to find and implement solutions to some of our most pressing challenges. Hadassah works to advance women’s health, to fight hate and antisemitism, to support a strong and healthy nation for all the citizens of Israel and to instill Jewish values in future generations.

The highlight of this season’s most anticipated event is our featured guest speaker Carol Ann Schwartz, the 28th National President of Hadassah. (The first president was Henrietta Szold, Hadassah’s founder, who served from 1912 to 1926.) Schwartz is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio, where she and her family have been involved in civic, religious and Zionist life for generations. She will bring us the latest updates and information about the status of Hadassah’s Jerusalem hospitals – Ein Kerem and Mt. Scopus – and about our Youth Aliyah villages – Neurim and Meir Shfeyah - where at-risk children receive the support that they need to become productive members of Israeli society.

It is particularly exciting that Schwartz will be our guest speaker at Books on the Beach, the format of which began here in Rhode Island and has been emulated throughout the nation by other Hadassah chapters and regions. Schwartz will share the most up-to-date news on how our fund-raising efforts are being used today both to help to heal Israeli society and to empower Jewish women in the United States through education and advocacy.

Our featured authors at Books on the Beach 2026 are B.A. Shapiro and Jenna Blum.

B.A. Shapiro is the author of more than 10 books. Her books have won many awards, and she was featured throughout the country in Community Reads. Her work includes literary thrillers, some involving the world of art (including the yet-unsolved 1990 heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Art Museum). Shapiro considers herself to be a “voracious” reader; in her books she explores topics such as family secrets, betrayal, love, history, reincarnation, revenge and politics. Her most recent novel is “The Lost Masterpiece,” considered to be “an exquisite feat of storytelling.”

With only four novels published, Jenna Blum is one of Oprah’s Top 30 Women Writers, and is the CEO of A Mighty Blaze, an online author interview company. Her parents both loved to read and shared their encouragement and talents when she was growing up. Blum’s first novel was written after she worked with Steven Spielberg interviewing Holocaust survivors for the Shoah Visual History Foundation. She has written both historical and contemporary fiction. “Murder Your Darlings” is her fifth book and her first psychological thriller.

Members and friends of Hadassah are encouraged to become sponsors of the 2026 Books on the Beach event; sponsors will be invited to a special reception to be held at 11 a.m., hosted by Lorraine Rappoport of Cranston and Sue Mayes of Middletown. Both are current members of the Board of Hadassah Southern New England and have held various leadership positions in Hadassah Rhode Island. Sponsors will have the opportunity to meet and hear from Schwartz and the two guest authors.

The event itself begins at noon and includes lunch and the speakers.

Hadassah Rhode Island’s president is Roberta Schneider, and the president of Hadassah Southern New England Region is Sheri Barnett.

Groups for table seating may be pre-arranged, and book clubs are encouraged to attend and register to be seated together. Members and friends of Hadassah are encouraged to become sponsors of the 2026 Books on the Beach event. Tickets for the event are $85 and can be obtained at http://events.hadassah.org/bob26, by emailing chapri@hadassah.org or by calling 857-404-0599 no later than July 20. The location will be sent to guests after registration.

Books will be available for purchase and signing by the authors.

SUE MAYES is a member of the board of Hadassah of Southern New England.