Shalom and welcome to the Hadassah Rhode Island Chapter!
Our strong and dedicated board serves more than 800 members and associate members, and many more friends of Hadassah RI. We are proud of our accomplishments and contributions throughout the years towards the welfare of Israel and its diverse population, and to the whole world, through Hadassah Medical Organization's state-of-the-art research and innovation. We are also happy to be part of the Hadassah Southern New England region.
The State of Rhode Island, although the smallest (only 48 miles long and 37 miles wide), is known for its many beautiful beaches and mansions, over 400 miles of coastline, as home to the Tennis Hall of Fame and for its rich history, including Roger Williams who founded RI in 1636 and advocated for religious tolerance, the separation of church and state, political democracy and for the rights of Native Americans, values which were later adopted by the new country, the United States of America.
“Little Rhody,'' as it’s often referred to, was the first colony to renounce allegiance to King George III of England. It is home to the historical Touro Synagogue in Newport, where George Washington's famous letter against bigotry, in 1790 to the Newport community, is read every year since. Based in Providence is the Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Educational Center, offering programs and class curriculums to thousands of students around the state on the experience of the Jews and how to reduce prejudices and hate against all minorities.
Our small Ocean State, with today’s population of 1.1 million and with about 18,000 Jews, was also big in commerce — a major hub for shipping and trade during colonial times and later was at the forefront of the industrial revolution and the establishment of the power-driven textile mills. Today, in 2022, the United States Secretary of Commerce is none other than RI’s former governor Gina Raimondo, who encouraged trade cooperation between RI and Israel and established laws against boycotting the Jewish state. Economic ties were followed by trips to and from Israel and included visits to hospitals, universities, and start-up and high-tech organizations in Israel.
Our chapter’s successful fundraising activities include the "Books on the Beach" luncheon program, community-wide celebrations, the cookbook program, author and guest speakers, the book club on Zoom, the monthly Nature Walk and Talk series and the planned regional Walkathon on our own Blackstone Boulevard, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead who also designed New York’s Central Park, the U.S Capitol building and the White House grounds.
I invite you to contact us and become part of our lovely community of women, who do.
Yardena Kapach Winkler
Chapter President