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Good morning, Providence. This is PVD Current, the newsletter that’s as satisfying as snapping the wishbone and getting the longer half. 🦃 

What to expect in today’s Current:

• Synagogue donation to serve the community ✨

• Italian festival highlights art & climate 🌍

• Join the Providence school board team 📚

Let’s get to it.

— Oscar Punchak

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Currents & Waves

🇮🇹 Florence Festival Brings Italian Culture & Climate Focus

The Splendor of Florence festival, celebrating cultural and climate connections between Providence and Florence, Italy, started Saturday and runs downtown until November 17. Organized by Joyce Acciaioli Rudge and the Downtown Providence Park Network, the festival marks 25 years since the original 1999 event and brings 50 events, including exhibits, music, and Italian cuisine, to the city. A central exhibit, Sott'Acqua: A Tale of Two Cities Underwater, highlights both cities’ shared history with mid-century floods and addresses climate change. The festival is supported by R.I. Commerce Corp. and numerous local organizations, with a full schedule at splendorofflorence.com.

Historic Synagogue Donated for Community Center 🕍

Carolyn Rafaelian, founder of Alex and Ani, has donated the historic former Temple Beth El synagogue on Broad Street to the Center for Southeast Asians to transform it into a new community center. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building has been vacant since 2006 and was added to Providence Preservation Society’s Most Endangered Properties List in 2022. The Center has launched a $16 million campaign to restore and renovate the site, a project expected to take five years once funding is secured. Rabbi Sarah Mack of Temple Beth El, whose congregation has since relocated, expressed excitement that the synagogue will once again serve the community.

Providence Seeks New School Board Members 🏫

Mayor Brett Smiley announced that applications are open for Providence School Board members, with the Nominating Committee accepting submissions through December 13, 2024. Five new appointees will be chosen, joining five elected members under a hybrid model. Former School Board member Nina Pande praised the opportunity to serve, emphasizing the role’s impact on students and education. Applicants will participate in a public forum on December 18 at Providence Career and Technical Academy, where community-submitted questions will help guide the discussion. Superintendent Dr. Javier Montañez and Council President Rachel Miller underscored the importance of committed leaders driving change in Providence schools. The School Board job description and application are now available here.

Coastline Commerce

Cracked Opens on Thayer Street 🍳

Cracked, a new eatery on Thayer Street, opened last Monday with a bright atmosphere and a focus on creative egg sandwiches. Manager Howard Gantz described the restaurant’s mission as offering a “unique and different experience” with high-quality ingredients and house-made sauces like truffle aioli and cilantro lime. The menu features a dozen options, including the popular Henhouse Delight, made with egg, arugula, avocado, and parmesan for $9. Cracked sources locally for its bread and produce, aiming to add a Rhode Island touch. With its successful launch, Cracked is considering future expansion to bring its elevated fast food concept to more locations.

Seaside Skies

MONDAY

68°🌡 44° | 🌤️ | 💧 11% | 💨 WSW 14 mph

TUESDAY

53°🌡 30° | 🌤️ | 💧 3% | 💨 NW 20 mph

(The forecast as of the night before this newsletter was published.)

Sound Waves

MONDAY

Roger Williams Park Zoo | Food Truck Day | 11 am

Symposium Books | Six Organs of Admittance & Tashi Dorji | 6 pm

Grant Recital Hall | Violins of Hope Klezmer Music Concert | 7 pm

The Parlour | Foundation Mondays | 9pm | $5, 21+

TUESDAY

The Parlour | Metal Night | 9pm | $5

Moonshine Alley | Tuesdays with Pat Lowell and Friends | 7pm

133 Club | Matt Martin & the Day Drinkers | 7 pm

Maritime Matches

TUESDAY

🏀 Providence College vs Hampton | Amica Mutual Pavilion | 6:30 pm | Tickets

That’s all for today…

Thank you for reading all the way through! Feel free to email us with any questions or suggestions. You’ll hear from us again on Wednesday.

Thanks,

Oscar Punchak | Publisher, PVD Current