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Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI)

Website:

ricoalitionforisrael.org
Location:

Saunderstown, RI
Type:

Pro-Israel Advocacy Group
Executive Director:

Howard Brown

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The Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI) is a right-leaning organization that promotes Western and Judeo-Christian values and America’s alliance with Israel. 1

The group opposes antisemitism and the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement. 2

Background

The Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI) promotes Western and Judeo-Christian values. The organization supports America’s alliance with Israel and promotes the advocacy efforts and partnership of Christians and Jews. 3

The organization advocates for Israel through educational activities in Rhode Island.  RICI opposes antisemitism and the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement through public statements, films, and lectures. 4

RICI is made up of Christians and Jews who volunteer together based on their common faith in God’s promise to Abraham about the land of Israel and the view that Jewish people have a right to a safe and secure homeland in Israel. 5

The RICI initiated the Mensch of the Year Award in 2019 honoring “extraordinary effort by ordinary Rhode Islanders on behalf of the fight against Jewish hatred and in support of Israel.” The first award went to Joe Philbin, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Rhode Island State Police, for speaking to organizations, retirement groups, colleges, and other organizations to debunk the “Deadly Exchange,” which is a myth promoted by the BDS movement that Israel is responsible for training American police in tactics of police brutality against minorities. 6

Activism

In November 2022, the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI) called for the Providence Police Department to charge with a hate crime a woman arrested for leaving an antisemitic message at the Brown RISD Hillel . The woman was only charged with disorderly conduct. 7 Ken Schneider, the treasurer of RICI, and Howard Brown, the executive director of RICI, said this and similar incidents in the state are the result of soft penalties for hate-motivated crimes in the state. 8

In September 2023, RICI was among 99 organizations that signed a letter to the University of California Board of Regents urging the board to stop the spread of antisemitism in California high schools by rejecting the ethnic studies admissions requirement proposal being promoted by anti-Zionist University of California faculty. The letter said, “UC faculty driving the ethnic studies admission requirement proposal view opposition to Zionism and activism to harm the Jewish state and its supporters as core components of their ethnic studies discipline. They promote antisemitic stereotypes of Jews and the Jewish state and encouragement to antisemitic activism as ‘part and parcel’ of ethnic studies courses at the University of California and beyond.” 9

In late October 2023, RICI partnered with Turning Point USA to organize a protest of about 60 people outside the Rhode Island state Capitol, chanting, “Hey, hey, ho, ho. Hamas has got to go,” and waving “free innocent hostages” banners. State Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz (R) spoke at the rally, while two other lawmakers, state Sen. Robert Britto (D) and state Rep. Patricia Morgan (R) attended. 10 The rally was in response to the “All Out for Palestine” rally held two days prior, in which participants chanted, “from the river to the sea, Palestine must be free,” a call to eliminate Israel. 11

In November 2023, RICI sent a letter signed by 114 Rhode Island residents to members of the Rhode Island congressional delegation urging members to reject calls for a ceasefire after the Hamas terrorist attack that killed 1,200 Israelis. The letter said: “A pause or ceasefire today will give Hamas a chance to regroup and further endanger civilians.” The letter came after the state’s two U.S. Senators, Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), issued a joint statement calling for Israel to pause military operations against Hamas in Gaza to allow more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians. 12

Leadership

Howard Brown is the executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI). 13

According to RICI’s 2021 annual report, Mary Billings Greene is president of the organization’s nine-member board of directors. 14

David Talan is the vice president of the board of RICI. 15

Ken Schneider is the treasurer of the board of RICI. 16

Luanna Pezzullo is the secretary of the board of RICI. 17

References

  1. “Rhode Island Coalition for Israel.” Open Corporates. Accessed January 23, 2024 https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ri/001680363
  2. “About Us.” Rhode Island Coalition for Israel. Accessed January 23, 2024.  https://www.ricoalitionforisrael.org/about-us
  3. “Rhode Island Coalition for Israel.” Open Corporates. Accessed January 23, 2024. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ri/001680363
  4. “About Us.” Rhode Island Coalition for Israel. Accessed January 23, 2024.  https://www.ricoalitionforisrael.org/about-us
  5. “About Us.” Rhode Island Coalition for Israel. Accessed January 23, 2024.  https://www.ricoalitionforisrael.org/about-us
  6. Press Release. “R.I. Coalition for Israel to honor May-Ronny Zeidman.” April 1, 2022. Accessed January 23, 2024. https://www.jewishrhody.com/stories/ri-coalition-for-israel-to-honor-may-ronny-zeidman,14341
  7. Doiron, Sarah. “RI Coalition: Antisemitic note should be deemed hate crime.” WPRI. November 14, 2022. Accessed January 23, 2024. https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/providence/activists-woman-should-be-charged-with-hate-crime-in-anti-semitic-incident/?email=6e8e42b25b4450cb87b4b8b8723da81ef3807b77&emaila=65cc295d2e18517428767ddfad363344&emailb=bafb3f09c9335f43eebec49b1ca7d3cd718e6263a5659986a36b282d583d6608&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Curated%20Daily%20News%202022-11-15
  8. Faulk, Leanna. “Jewish faith leaders react to antisemitic messages left in Warwick neighborhood.” NBC 10 WJAR. November 15, 2022. Accessed January 23, 2024. https://turnto10.com/news/local/antisemitic-jewish-message-warwick-oakland-beach-kanye-west-police-fbi-investigation-crime-tweet-brown-university-hillel-community-faith
  9. “Letter to University of California Board of Regents Regarding Ethnic Studies Admissions Requirement Proposal from 99 Organizations.” September 18, 2023. Accessed January 23, 2024.  https://amchainitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Letter-from-99-Orgs-to-UC-Board-of-Regents-RE-Ethnic-Studies-Admissions-Proposal-9.18.23.pdf
  10. Gregg, Katherine. “Dozens of pro-Israel activists hold rally at State House. Here’s what they said.” Providence Journal. October 24, 2023. Accessed January 23, 2024 https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/10/24/one-side-seeks-peace-the-other-side-seeks-extermination-said-one-speaker/71282826007/
  11. Azzara, Alyssa. “Rhode Island State House hosts rally in support of war-torn Israel.” ABC 6 Rhode Island News. October 24, 2023. Accessed January 23, 2024. https://www.abc6.com/rhode-island-state-house-hosts-rally-in-support-of-war-torn-israel/
  12.  Fitzpatrick, Edward. “R.I. Coalition for Israel tells congressional delegation: no pause, no ceasefire.” Boston Globe. November 13, 2023. Accessed January 23, 2024 https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/11/13/metro/ri-coalition-israel-tells-congressional-delegation-no-pause-no-ceasefire/
  13. Rhod Island Coalition for Israel 2021 Annual Report. Rhode Island Secretary of State. June 27, 2021. Accessed January 23, 2024. CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx (ri.gov).  https://business.sos.ri.gov/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx via Open Corporates. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ri/001680363
  14. Rhod Island Coalition for Israel 2021 Annual Report. Rhode Island Secretary of State. June 27, 2021. Accessed January 23, 2024. CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx (ri.gov).  https://business.sos.ri.gov/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx via Open Corporates. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ri/001680363
  15. Rhod Island Coalition for Israel 2021 Annual Report. Rhode Island Secretary of State. June 27, 2021. Accessed January 23, 2024. CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx (ri.gov).  https://business.sos.ri.gov/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx via Open Corporates. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ri/001680363
  16. Rhod Island Coalition for Israel 2021 Annual Report. Rhode Island Secretary of State. June 27, 2021. Accessed January 23, 2024. CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx (ri.gov).  https://business.sos.ri.gov/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx via Open Corporates. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ri/001680363
  17. Rhod Island Coalition for Israel 2021 Annual Report. Rhode Island Secretary of State. June 27, 2021. Accessed January 23, 2024. CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx (ri.gov).  https://business.sos.ri.gov/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchViewPDF.aspx via Open Corporates. https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ri/001680363
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Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI)


Saunderstown, RI