Thanks for your participation in the inaugural readers’ poll for Best of Jewish Rhode Island 2009 by The Jewish Voice & Herald. The winners will all be presented with a framed award, which we hope will be proudly displayed.

1. Best place to spend a weekday afternoon or a Sunday morning, while the kids are in Religious School

Winner: Seven Stars Bakery

Honorable Mention: Temple Sinai Kibbitz Café, Rue de L’Espoir

Notable: Walking and hiking

Comment: Some have suggested changing the name to

“Seven Strollers.”

2. Best place to eat a bagel, lox and a shmeer of cream cheese

Winner: At home at the kitchen table

Honorable mention: Bagels, Etc., Eastside Marketplace, Blue Cottage, Bagel Gourmet

Notable: New York City bagels

Comment: Clearly, comfort food enjoyed best at home, according to our readers, but there was also a yearning for New York City-quality bagels.

3. Best place to be on Christmas Eve/Christmas

Winner: Showcase Cinemas

Honorable Mention: Seven Moons (North Kingstown), Hot Wok Café (Providence), Hong Kong Buffet (Cranston), China Inn (Pawtucket), Rasoi (Pawtucket)

Notable: Skiing

Comment: Many folks said both Chinese restaurant and a movie, but didn’t specify.

4. Best source of Jewish gifts for weddings, b’nei mitzvoth

Winner: Temple Emanu-El Gift Shop

Honorable Mention: Kolbo in Brookline, Temple Am David gift shop, Temple Sinai gift shop

Comment: People seem to prefer temple gift shops, and also some online sources.

5. Best place to go with out-of-town relatives or guests to show off “Jewish Rhode Island”

Winner: Touro Synagogue in Newport

Honorable Mention: Tamarisk in Warwick, JCCRI in Providence

Notable: East Side of Providence, South Providence

Comment: It might be time to develop a walking tour of Jewish Providence.

6. Best place for kids’ birthday party gifts

Winner: Creatoyvity

Honorable Mention: Benny’s, I-Party

Notable: Some younger voters liked Chuckie Cheese

Comment: Perhaps we should consider a separate poll of Jewish kids.

7. Best place to host kids’ birthday parties

Winner: Jewish Community Center of R.I.

Honorable Mention: Gymboree

Notable: Sundaes, Chuckie Cheese

Comment: Some preferred to be at home with the party.

8. Best source of Jewish books

Winner: (tie) Temple Beth-El Library, Temple Emanu-El Library, Books on the Square

Honorable Mention: Temple Am David library and its “Booksapalooza” event

Notable: Amazon.com, Bureau of Jewish Education of Rhode Island

Comment: The world is moving online.

9. Best place for Jewish study

Winner: Temple Emanu-El Adult Institute

Honorable Mention: Kollel

Notable: Chabad

Comment: Excellent choices.

10. Best Chinese food

Winner: (tie) Apsara (Providence), Seven Moons (North Kingstown), Four Seasons (Providence), Galaxie, Lemongrass (Warwick)

Honorable mention: Taam China (Brookline), Gourmet House (Providence), China Inn (Pawtucket)

Notable: Hot Wok (Providence), IronWok (Seekonk)

Comment: Most hotly contested question in our survey, some blurring of cuisines that are not purely Chinese.

11.Best (non-Chinese) ethnic food (Italian, French, Mexican, Indian, Thai, etc.)

Winner: (tie) Pizzico, Rasoi

Honorable Mention: Pot au Feu, Al Forno

Notable: Sundaes (there was no category for ice cream, but see write-ins…)

Comment: Lots of good choices to eat in the region.

12. Best deli food

Winner: Davi’s Dairy

Honorable mention: Eastside Marketplace

Notable: Carnegie Deli in New York City

Comment: Many people indicated that they were still looking for good deli food.

13. Best Sunday brunch

Winner: The Modern Diner

Honorable Mention: T’s, Red Stripe, Crowne Plaza,

Notable: Bay Voyage (Jamestown)

Comment: A number of folks indicated their own home.

14. Best place to go with the Sunday papers when you don’t want to seen by people you know

Winner: The Coffee Depot (Warren)

Honorable Mention: The Blue Cottage

Notable: Tealuxe

Comment: There were a number who suggested their own homes, bathrooms, bedrooms and back porches.

15. Best place to go with the Sunday papers when you do want to be seen by people you know

Winner: Starbucks (Wayland Square)

Honorable Mention: Seven Stars, The Butcher Shop

Notable: Panera, Eastside Marketplace

Comment: Most people seem to like to be seen when they go out.

16. Best romantic get-away – upscale price

Winner: The Chanler on the Cliff Walk, Newport

Honorable Mention: Newport in general

Notable: Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham, Mass.

Comment: There were lots of places outside Rhode Island, i.e., Bermuda, Hawaii, Vermont.

17. Best romantic getaway – moderate price

Winner: Narragansett, Bristol

Honorable Mention: Camping

Comment: It seems this question stumped a lot of readers.

18. Best source of kosher wines

Winner: Town Wine

Honorable Mention: Swan Liquor, Providence Hebrew Day School wine room, Seekonk Liquors

Notable: Savory Grape

19. Best source of kosher meats

Winner: Eastside Marketplace

Honorable Mention: The Butcherie in Canton, Mass.;

Davis’ Dairy

Notable: Whole Foods

20. Best place to store or sell your chametz.

Winner: (tie) Cantor Richard Perlman,

Rabbi Wayne Franklin

Honorable Mention: Temple Beth Sholom, Carolyn Birnbaum at the JCCRI

Notable: “My Christian neighbors.”

21. Best place to buy all your Passover ingredients

Winner: Stop & Shop (multiple locations)

Honorable Mention: Eastside Marketplace, Davis’ Dairy

Notable: Shaw’s in Sharon, Mass.

22. Best Purim Spiel

Winner: Temple Emanu-El

Honorable Mention: Temple Beth-El

Notable: The Voice & Herald

23. Best place to buy prepared:

Noodle Kugel: Winner: Accounting for Taste

Honorable Mention: Davis’ Dairy

Brisket: Winner: Accounting for Taste

Honorable Mention: Eastside Marketplace

Matzah Ball Soup: Winner: Accounting for Taste

Honorable Mention: Local Hero Deli

Knishes: Winner: Accounting for Taste

Honorable Mention: Davis’ Dairy

Latkes: Winner: Accounting for Taste

Honorable Mention: Eastside Marketplace

Bialys: Winner: Eastside Marketplace

Chopped Liver: Winner: Davis’

Cheesecake: Winner: Cheesecake Factory

Challah: Winner: Rainbow Bakery

Honorable Mention: Palmieri’s

23. Best Kosher Caterer

Winner: Accounting for Taste

Honorable Mention: Daniel Gourmet Kosher Catering

24. Best place for falafel

Winner: Hot Pockets on Thayer Street

Honorable Mention: Pickpockets

Notable: Daniel Gourmet Kosher Catering

Comment: A few readers wrote in “Israel.”

25. Best place to hear klezmer music

Winner: Brooklyn Coffee & Tea House

Honorable Mention: JCCRI

Notable: “Anywhere Fishel Bresler is playing.”

26. Best library to spend time in

Winner: Rochambeau Branch, Providence Public Library

Honorable Mention: Barrington, Warwick, Brown University

Notable: Westerly

27. Best place to learn Hebrew

Winner: (tie) Temple Sinai, Temple Emanu-El, Temple Beth-El

Honorable Mention: JCDSRI

Notable: Ulpan at the JCC

Comment: A few readers simply said: “Israel.”

28. Best source of Jewish-themed movies and films to rent:

Winner: JCCRI

Honorable mention: BJERI

Notable: Netflix

29. Best place to buy your son’s bar mitzvah clothes

Winner: Sym’s in Warwick

Honorable mention: Simon & Sons, Nordstrom

30. Best place to buy your daughter’s bat mitzvah clothes

Winner: (tie) Nordstrom, Dress Barn, Pink Domino

Honorable Mention: Sonya’s

31. Best places to buy items of Judaica

Winner: Temple Emanu-El gift shop

honorable mention: Judaic Traditions (online)

notable: Kolbo in Brookline

32. Best beach (where you are likely to run into your Jewish neighbors)

Winner: Narragansett Beach

Honorable mention: Middle Beach, Newport

33. Best florist for weddings, b’nei mitzvoth

Winner: (tie) Kiko, Em-rose Florist, Twigs

Honorable mention: Mount Fuji, Stone Blossom Florals

34. Best DJ for weddings, B ’nei mitzvoth

Winner: Kickin’ Al

Honorable mention: Northern Lights, Track Seven Events

35. Best photographer for weddings, b’nei mitzvoth

Winner: Mike Skorski

Honorable Mention: Steve Vincennes, Vision Photography

36. Best jeweler for engagement or wedding rings

Winner: (tie) Ross Simons, Providence

Diamond Company

37. Best bar to see your Jewish friends and neighbors

Winner: Gregg’s Pub

Honorable mention: East Avenue Café

38. Best restaurant to see your Jewish friends and neighbors

Winner: Gregg’s

Honorable mention: Spain, Parkside

38. Best place for Jewish singles to meet

Winner: Online, at JDate

Honorable Mention: JCC, wild fire, red stripe

notable: Jewish camp socials, The person who wrote: “Please let my daughter know.”

39. Best place to learn Israeli dancing

winner: Jewish Community Center of Rhode Island

40. Best place to hold a Jewish meeting outside the office

winner: Seven Stars

honorable mention: JCCRI, Panera

notable: University Club

41. Best jewish camp for Rhode Islanders

winner: Camp JORI

honorable mention: Camp Avoda, JCC

notable: Camp Eisner

42. Best Jewish Educator in Rhode Island

winner: Esta Yavner, Rabbi Alvan Kaunfer (tie)

honorable mention: Cantor Rick Perlman, Eliana Seltzer

notable: Marcia Kaunfer, Leonore Sones

43. Best source in Rhode Island for tallit

winner:: Temple Emanu-El gift shop

44. Best Jewish Entertainer

winner:: Fishel Bresler

comment: Some wags wrote in Adam Sandler, Paula Abdul and Jackie Mason

45. Best Ice Cream

winner: Sundaes

We welcome your suggestions for new categories for the 2010 Best of Jewish Rhode Island. Please send them to voiceherald@jfri.org, with the subject line, new categories, or mail them to The Voice & Herald, 130 Sessions St., Providence, R.I., 02906.