Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association’s 61st annual meeting spotlights the Breindel family

Rabbi Josh Breindel, guest speaker

The Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association will hold its annual meeting on Sunday, April 26 at 2:00 p.m. at Temple Beth-El in Providence.  All are welcome to enjoy an afternoon of educational enrichment, friendship and light refreshments.

The Association’s 18th president, Ruth Breindel, will be installed. 

Following in Geraldine Foster’s footsteps, she will be the Association’s second woman president since its founding in 1951. A longtime classics teacher at Moses Brown School, she will bring her love of learning, exceptional energy and enthusiasm, and a fascination with technology to her new position.  Ruth has been the Association’s vice president for three years, during Michael Schwartz’s dynamic presidency.

Another educator, Prof. Mel Topf of Roger Williams University, will become vice president.  He will continue to chair the Association’s publications committee. Maxine Goldin will continue as secretary, and David Bazar will serve once again as treasurer.  New board members will include Susan Brown, a retired Moses Brown foreign language teacher, and Rabbi Barry Dolinger of Congregation Beth Sholom in Providence.

The annual meeting, which is sponsored by the Arline Ruth Weinberg Memorial Fund, will feature a talk by Rabbi Josh Breindel of Temple Anshe Amunim in Pittsfield Massachusetts.  A gifted educator, singer and storyteller, he will speak on “All the World’s Stage: The Surprising History of Jews and the Theatre.” A Moses Brown and Brandeis University alumnus, he was ordained at Hebrew College in 2009. What a thrilling coincidence: the new president is Rabbi Josh’s mother!

For more information about the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association and its annual meeting, please contact Anne Sherman, office manager, at 401-331-1360.