Your donations help Jews in R.I. – and across the globe

In “Pirkei Avot,” it states, “Your house should be open wide, and you should make the poor members of your household.”

For many of us, our inclination is to help our families, our neighbors and our friends.  Over the last year, the Jewish community, through the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, has done so much to help local partners with support of basic human needs, security and programs that build community.

But the Alliance’s annual community campaign also supports several overseas organizations that help the most vulnerable: individuals living in isolation and poverty; groups of people who are dealing with racism; and communities that are at risk due to political upheaval.  Funding from the Alliance helps children and young adults have a bright future, gives their parents the tools to provide for them, and helps older adults live out their final years in dignity.

The Alliance’s annual community campaign supports organizations such as the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and the Ethiopian National Project (ENP).  These organizations provide for the needs of individuals in Israel and over 70 countries worldwide.

Here are just some of the things the Alliance’s overseas partners are accomplishing:

The JDC is a lead agency supporting the needs of elderly Jewish people in the former Soviet Union, many of whom are Holocaust survivors.  Many live on pensions providing less than $2 a day. Without the JDC, they would not have enough money for food, medicine and other basic needs.  Last year, the JDC brought food to 49,000 elderly people in the former Soviet Union, brought medication/medical services to 29,000, and provided over 22 million hours of home care.

The ENP helps Ethiopian immigrants acclimate to living in Israel.  Many of these immigrants come to Israel with little formal education, making it difficult to find a job and support their families.  The majority of Ethiopian immigrant families live in low-income areas with poor schools.  Many of the children have trouble succeeding in school and enter adulthood with academic deficits.  In one of ENP’s main programs, SPACE (School Performance and Community Empowerment), they provide daily academic support and a hot lunch, as well as working with the students on self-esteem and leadership skills. Last year, 5,100 Ethiopian immigrant teens participated in 28 locations around Israel.

Funding safety measures at synagogues, community centers and other places in nations around the world, through JAFI’s Security Assistance Fund.

According to Richard Glucksman, Alliance board philanthropy vice chair, and Janet Goldman, Alliance board community development vice chair, donations to the Alliance’s annual community campaign supports the work of these organizations in 70 countries, as well as hundreds of thousands of people and millions of hours of services.  They thank you for your support.

To learn more about the work the Alliance is doing overseas, contact Sara Masri at 401-421-4111, ext. 223.