WAEF awards over $10,000 to Jewish groups in R.I., Israel

PROVIDENCE – Formed in 1993, the Women’s Alliance Endowment Fund (WAEF) has awarded nearly $155,000 to diverse organizations serving women and children in Rhode Island and overseas communities. Last year, on its 30th anniversary, WAEF raised more than $12,300 in contributions and new memberships.

WAEF members convened on May 21 to consider submitted grant proposals. The group, chaired by community member Katherine (Kit) Haspel, awarded grants totaling $10,600 to the following programs:

Local

Congregation Sha’arei Tefilla,  $700 for Women’s Day of Inspiration.

Jewish Collaborative Services, $1,700 for Rosh Hashanah recipes and ingredients for Kosher food pantry customers.

Jewish Community Day School, $1,200 for Universal Design Learning (UDL) training.

Temple Emanu-El, $800 for Women’s History Month Series.

University of Rhode Island Hillel, $1,400 for an appearance by Israeli-American actress/writer Iris Bahr.

Israel

Beit Ruth Educational and Therapeutic Village, $1,000 for promoting physical and emotional health for at-risk girls through sports.

ELI: Israel Association for Child Protection, $800 for sex education and abuse prevention for girls.

Emunah Afula Children’s Center, $1,000 for strengthening parent-child bonds.

The Feuerstein Institute, $1,000 for academic integration of Ultra-Orthodox women.

Jaffa Institute, $1,000 for “Welfare to Wellbeing” program.

To date, WAEF has 107 living members. Each one contributed $1,000 to the fund to join. The fund is invested with the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island’s endowment and relies on donations from new members to increase the funds available to distribute each year.

A gift of a WAEF membership is a wonderful way to introduce adult children and grandchildren to community philanthropy. Membership allows our community’s women to directly impact women and youth around the globe in meaningful and critical ways, through programs and services necessary for a strong Jewish future.

If you are interested in becoming a WAEF member, or gifting a membership to a daughter, granddaughter, other family member or friend, or would like to discuss giving to your Jewish future, contact the Jewish Federation Foundation at (401) 421-4111 or endowment@jewishallianceri.org.

Submitted by the Women’s Alliance Endowment Fund