On challenges, successes and a bright future

These remarks were given at the annual meeting of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island on June 10, 2026. The remarks have been been edited for space.

Good evening everyone. My name is Harris Chorney. I’m the interim President and CEO – soon to be former - of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island. I want to welcome you to our 15th Annual Meeting. Tonight, we come together to celebrate the year that was, to honor and remember outstanding members of our community, and to install our new Board of Directors. Tonight we also mark a transition, as we walk through the doorway to welcome a new President and CEO.

As I reflect on the past year, one word comes to mind: challenge.

It has been a challenging year for our community, for our organization and for the Jewish people.

Externally, we continue to live in a time when antisemitism too often raises its ugly head. Events around the world and here at home – in Smithfield and East Greenwich, just to name a few - have reminded us that we cannot take our safety, security or sense of belonging for granted. At the same time, economic uncertainty has affected many families and businesses. Even with stock market indices reaching record highs – at least until this week - that prosperity has not necessarily translated into greater confidence or spending. For many households, philanthropy is one of the first items reduced when budgets tighten.

Internally, we faced our own significant challenges: a CEO transition and software conversions to our two major platforms (which never go smoothly!).

But despite all of these challenges, the Jewish Alliance never lost sight of its mission.

In a year filled with challenges, we did not retreat from our mission. We doubled down on it.

And, what I am most proud of is not simply that we faced these challenges – it is how we responded to them.

Our staff showed remarkable resilience - I ask all staff that is here tonight to stand and be recognized. You did a remarkable job this past year and we thank you for all you do. I also want to recognize three of our staff retiring this year: Jana Brenman, Events Manager, 15 years; Fran Ostendorf, Editor, Jewish RI, 12 years; and Pierre DaLomba, Housekeeping/Maintenance, 22 years. Thank you for your many years of service and dedication to our organization

Our volunteers continue to lead. Our donors continue to give – by the way, it’s still not too late to support this year’s community campaign. Our JCC members and Early Childhood Center parents continue to engage. And our community continues to show up for one another. To all of you we say thank you.

Even during a period of leadership transition, economic uncertainty, rising antisemitism and significant operational changes, we were able to continue increasing our allocations to our partner agencies, many of whose leaders are with us here this evening. These organizations are on the front lines of Jewish life in Rhode Island, and our support helps ensure that they can continue to fulfill their own vital missions.

Because of the generosity of our donors and the commitment of this community, we were able to provide scholarships that make Jewish day school education – at the Jewish Community Day School and Providence Hebrew Day School – accessible to more families. We helped ensure that Jewish Collaborative Services was able to provide kosher food to seniors throughout our community, allowing some of our most vulnerable neighbors to live with dignity and connection. We supported critical mental health services for Israelis coping with the trauma and stress of war and conflict.

We continue to work with our agency partners and synagogues to help them build a secure environment – and the Jewish Alliance took the lead in putting together a second anti-hate summit in May that addressed not just antisemitism but all hate.

And let's not forget that the largest allocation we make each year is to the Bonnie and Donald Dwares Jewish Community Center – and I want to recognize Bonnie and Donald who are here this evening for everything they do for our community. The Alliance’s support helps sustain the exceptional fitness center, which has grown to almost 1,100 members. It supports our exceptional early childhood program, with over 80 children, and the infrastructure that allows the JCC to serve as the central gathering place for Jewish life in Rhode Island – think the Jewish Culture festival held last fall, attended by over 1,300 people.

Our mission is simple – to help make life better for those in our community, and others. I thank you for your support in helping us fulfill that mission.

I’ll conclude by saying the future is bright for the Jewish Alliance and our Jewish community. If you want to feel optimistic about the future of our Jewish community, take the time to read a book to the kids in our Early Childhood Center. Personally, these were some of my most memorable experiences in this role. Attend an annual meeting of the Jewish Community Day School or the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center. Witness the energy, enthusiasm and passion of kids and young adults who participate in these organizations, as I have had the opportunity to do. It will give you hope for the future.

And the Alliance’s future will be even brighter – led by our new President and CEO Steven Baker – with his energy, his passion and his love of being Jewish.

HARRIS CHORNEY is the outgoing interim President and CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.