Our many tribes contribute to a vibrant Rhode Island Jewish community

The following remarks were delivered June 15 at the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s 12th annual meeting. They have been lightly edited.

Tonight marks our 12th annual meeting. As you may know, the number 12 has great symbolism in Judaism. Almost all of that symbolism derives from the 12 tribes of Israel, each connected to one of Jacob’s sons. After the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites were organized by these 12 tribes. In fact, we learned a few weeks ago in Bamidbar that each tribe had a specific place around the mishkan, around the tabernacle. Each tribe had uniqueness, but they all shared a common identity and a shared faith and mission.

Much like our ancestors, our community has its tribes. It has distinctive groups that all come together to form one community. And when we look back on the work of the Alliance this last year, the impact of each tribe in our community is abundantly clear.

There’s the tribe that includes our synagogue partners and agency partners. These groups form the foundation of what makes our community go. The Alliance is so proud to work with each synagogue and each agency to make this community vibrant and thriving. Last year the Alliance invested $1 million to support our core organizations. To make sure we have amazing day schools to educate our children. To make sure we have strong social services through Jewish Collaborative Services to support every community member in moments where they need a hand up. To make sure students at each of our colleges have access to Jewish life.

And what I’m most proud of this year is the work we’ve done at the Alliance and with each of these agencies to work together. Through our microgrant programs, our community’s synagogues and agencies have done such great work together. We’ve funded programs like the multifaith poetry night, a collaborative grant between Congregation Beth Sholom, Temple Beth El, and Wildflour Bakery, where the reading was held. In running this program, the temples aimed to deepen existing conversations and sharing in our community, as we consistently find people thirsting for meaning and deep experience. The event was a chance for geographically proximate communities that rarely interact in this way to share poems from the heart.

No day exemplified the power of our agencies and synagogues more than the Israel at 75 celebration. I was blown away that over 600 people came together to celebrate Israel, but also to celebrate our community. It was so wonderful to walk down the hall of Farm Fresh RI to see so many agency and synagogue tables. To see the wonderful work they do on display. It was truly a highlight not just of my year, but of my six years in this role. The Alliance is proud to provide financial support for all of this work, but it happens because of the great members of this tribe in our community. Thank you to our synagogue and agency partners.

Of course, we wouldn’t be able to invest in these great agencies and synagogues without our community’s tribe of donors and contributors to the Alliance. This year, over 1,300 people formed this tribe. Together we raised nearly $3.1 million for our annual campaign, and another $200,000 for special projects and initiatives. $3.3 million to support all of the important elements in our local community, and with our partners in Israel, in Warsaw, and in Rosario, Argentina. This community happens because of all of you. Thank you for your support.

I also have such gratitude for our tribe of JCC members. Over 1,500 individuals, who inspire me when I see you around the building. Whether it’s the sound of basketball players running up and down the court on Sunday mornings, the unique sound when a pickleball hits the wooden paddle, or the sound of prayer emanating from Congregation Beth Sholom on Saturday morning, this building is alive with community. It’s because of our JCC members that this building feels like it did before the pandemic. And this year our tribe of members took their dedication to new heights. We held a successful swimathon, where our swimmers raised money to support the Alliance. And a month later, I was proud to jump on a bike with more than a dozen members for our spinathon to raise money for the Alliance. Thank you to everyone who makes this building feel like a home away from home.

I’m also grateful for the tribe of community members who continue to advance our work and dialogue around our larger Rhode Island community. Our Community Relations Council has done impactful work this year, focusing on issues of poverty, climate change, immigration, and more. And they’ve come together to have hard conversations, and to do so with kavod, with respect. Earlier this year, the Alliance brought Resetting the Table to our community, an organization focused on encouraging dialogue around Israel that allows people to share their perspectives and embrace difference. It was an example of what community looks like at its best, and I thank everyone who advances this important work on behalf of the Alliance.

The tribes in our community aren’t just those who identify as Jewish. This year, the Alliance formally recognized the fact that our community includes many who don’t identify as Jewish, but who are very much members of our tribes. Our “Breaking the Glass” podcast explored interfaith relationships with a focus on the beauty and the complexity of these partnerships. The podcast was downloaded 7,000 times, a huge accomplishment for the Alliance. And we also have partners outside of the Jewish community who stand with us in good times and in bad. A few weeks ago we held an anti-hate summit where over 80 people came together from across communities to discuss how we stamp out hate in Rhode Island. I’m proud that the Alliance led this work and convened organizations like the Center for Southeast Asians, Black Lives Matter PAC, Youth Pride RI and others, and I’m excited for the work that will come out of it. And last winter, when it seemed like every week white supremacists were dropping leaflets throughout Rhode Island to intimidate our community, many throughout Rhode Island placed a menorah in their window, showing solidarity with our community. And the State House was lit up to Shine a Light on Antisemitism during Hanukkah. It happened because one of our tribes is filled with those who stand with us so we don’t stand alone.

And finally, I want to touch on the tribe of staff that I get to work with each and every day, and the tribe of Board members and volunteers that guide our work. Over the last year, I have witnessed so much dedication from both groups. I’ve seen everyone pitch in, everyone think about how we can make the Alliance, and therefore the community better. Every day I’ve seen our staff find ways to go the extra mile, both big and small. Every single one of my colleagues puts community first, and makes the Alliance truly one of the greatest places to work. Thank you all. And to our Board, thank you for continuing to provide guidance, leadership and direction. We’ve tackled huge topics this year, and at the center of each conversation has been how do we keep our community front and center. The conversations have been incredible, and I’m grateful for your leadership. And to Harris, thank you for being a true partner in this work, for standing alongside me, and for challenging me to be a better leader for this community each day.

And as great as this year was, I’m so excited for what the next year has to offer for us. Finding new ways to lift up Jewish joy. Showing everyone what makes our community so wonderful by putting on an inaugural Jewish Cultural Festival. Deepening our partnerships with agencies and synagogues. Developing new podcasts that continue to tell the story of our Jewish community. Continuing to fight antisemitism through our anti-hate work, through legislation at the State House, and by continuing to strengthen our community with trainings and security. A new leadership development program to train and educate those who will lead our community into the future. So many great things to come.

When the 12 tribes wandered the desert, they surrounded that which was most holy, the tabernacle. The tribes of our Rhode Island Jewish community also surround something incredibly important: community itself. We wrap ourselves around it, invest in it, protect it and make sure it reflects and represents the best of who we are. As we look ahead, I ask all of you to double down on your efforts. To continue to think about the role you play in making this community so special. Because a vibrant, thriving community for all of us only happens with all of us. Together, I know the vision we have for our community isn’t just possible, it’s going to happen. Thank you!

ADAM GREENMAN is president and CEO of the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island.