RICI Annual Mensch of the Year Awards/Fundraiser - Celebrate and Advocate for a Cause

Join Rhode Island Coalition for Israel (RICI)

at our annual Sy Dill Mensch of the Year Awards Fundraiser

Celebrate and Advocate for a Cause!

(Scroll to the bottom of page to select your ticket type). Join us as we celebrate our accomplishments and set our sights on future progress by joining our movement to stand up for Israel, the Jewish people, and our sacred democratic values.

This meaningful event will feature an Israeli wine-tasting and storytelling, a chance to connect with others who love Israel, kosher small bites and desserts, and incredible speakers.

Our keynote speaker, Avi Nevel, Founder and CEO of Rhode Island Israel Collaborative (RIIC), will be honored with the RICI's annual Sy Dill Mensch of the Year Award which goes to a proud Zionist who has demonstrated continued advocacy for Israel and Jewish causes, especially in supporting commerce between Israel and Rhode Island.

Our Advocacy Award will be presented to Dr. May-Tal Sauerbrun-Cutler, faculty member at Brown University Medical School, for her work advocating on behalf of Jewish students at Brown University and her service as Co-Chair of the Healthcare Committee with RI Israel Collaborative.

We will present the RICI Lifetime Recognition Award to founding RICI board member Stanley Freedman for his lifetime of dedication to Israel and the Jewish community in Rhode Island.

Together, let's toast to our accomplishments and our growing Zionist community in RI!

Wine tasting, kosher food, and desserts will be included in the price of your ticket. Providence location will be sent immediately via email after registration and again closer to the event. Armed security will be present, and free street parking will be available as well as a parking lot. Please inquire to maria@ricoalitionforisrael.org about sponsorship opportunities (both for individuals and businesses/organizations).

Israeli Wine Tasting:

What better way to celebrate with the pro-Israel community than to learn about Israeli wines and enjoy a tasting of unique wines from Israel!  Esther Cohen will share about wine regions in Israel, the art of tasting wine, what makes wine kosher and answer all your other questions about Israeli wine.

Kosher small bites from Achva Catering and desserts will be enjoyed during the event.

Avi Nevel, Founder & CEO of Rhode Island Israel Collaborative (RIIC)

Sy Dill Mensch of the Year Award recipient:

Avi Nevel is an entrepreneurial senior executive with more than 25 years of broad international business experience. He is skilled in strategic planning, business origination, management and expansion; and international sales and marketing.  Mr. Nevel currently serves as President and CEO of Nevel International, a Providence-based international consulting firm, which he founded in 2006. He is also the President and CEO of the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative, RIIC, a non for profit Chamber of Commerce, which he founded in 2016.  

Prior to founding Nevel International, Mr. Nevel served as Co-owner, CEO, and President of Lawson-Hemphill, a manufacturer of precision instruments and quality control laboratory equipment for the textiles industry.  His company’s products were sold worldwide.

Mr. Nevel has received 12 U.S. and foreign patents, several awards for excellence in business, personal achievement, and exportation, and numerous prestigious board and committee appointments here and abroad. Among the accolades he has received are the Presidential “E” Award, in 1987, and the Presidential “E-STAR” Award in 1991, both from the U.S. Department of Commerce, the “Exporter of the Year” Award from the RI Small Business Administration in 2000 and  the “Honor Award” in 2010 from the Consulate General of Israel to New England, for his remarkable work in supporting stronger economic collaboration between Israel & New England.

Mr. Nevel served on the board of  Shenkar College of Design and Engineering in Israel, was Chair of the Israel Task Force Committee at the Jewish Alliance of Rhode Island, and is on the Executive Board of the New England Israel Business Council (NEIBC) and Rhode Island World Trade Day Committee and in 1997, was appointed member of the Connecticut/Rhode Island District Export Council.  In 2012. Mr. Nevel was appointed as Vice Chair of the Rhode Island District Export Council, (RI DEC) and was an Executive Board Member of the Providence Chamber of Commerce.  

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In  2024 Mr. Nevel received the John Hazen White, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award during the 38th World Trade Day event at Bryant University in Smithfield ,Rhode Island. This award recognizes exceptional individual contribution to international trade, as well outstanding dedication and leadership fostering global connections and advancing international trade.

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In 2023, at the Go Global 2023 Awards ceremony November 7th which was, attended by 500 people from 83 countries, in Providence, RI, the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative (RIIC) was the recipient of the coveted Bilateral Trade Association of the Year Award .

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In 2020, Mr. Nevel was recognized by Providence Business News as one of the top 25 leaders & achievers in Rhode Island.

In 2019, was awarded Honorary Rhode Island Economic Ambassador by Lt. Governor, Dan McKee. In 2020 was appointed to the Advisory Board of the RIHub, the organization was his brainchild.

In 2021, Governor Dan McKee awarded Certificate of Special Recognition to Mr. Nevel on the behalf of the Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative (RIIC).

Mr. Nevel assists the Rhode Island International Trade Director and Rhode Island Commerce in international matters and  works closely with U.S. Commerce posts around the world.

In 2011, Mr Nevel co-organized the first Rhode Island economic mission to Israel which was followed by the first Rhode Island Health Care and Life Science mission to Israel in 2013 , 2016 and organized a virtual mission in 2021.

Further, Mr. Nevel was the key organizer and coordinator for the 2013 state of Connecticut business mission led by Commissioner Catherine Smith.

In 2019,  assisted and joined Rhode Island Governor, Gina Raimondo on the first-ever visit to Rhode Island of a seated Rhode Island governor.

Mr. Nevel received his bachelor degree from Shenkar College of Design and Engineering in Israel.

Mr. Nevel was born in Israel and has lived in Providence, Rhode Island, for over 30 years with his wife Dr. Laura Nevel.   

Dr. May-Tal Sauerbrun-Cutler, 2026 Advocacy Award recipient:

May-Tal Sauerbrun-Cutler, MD is an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University, the Director of Fertility Preservation in the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI), and the Director of the medical student REI rotation at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and the Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

May-Tal is the faculty advisor for the Brown Medical student Jewish affinity group "JEMSA" which was created by jewish students in 2024. 

Additionally, she serves on the Brown Jewish Alumni and Friends steering committee. Lastly, she is the Co-Chair of the Healthcare Subcommittee of the Rhode Island Israel Collaborative.

She earned her medical degree at Sackler School of Medicine-New York State/American Program in 2010 and went on to complete her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and REI fellowship at Women & Infants Hospital/Brown University in 2020. Her current research is focused on medical fertility preservation, medical fertility preservation insurance mandates, embryo development and IVF outcomes. She conducted a pilot trial on fertility preservation care and telehealth, a study evaluating FP counseling rates and barriers to FP care in breast cancer patients. She has experience using the SART database and completed a retrospective data analysis of Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) fertility preservation cycles evaluating the impact of tamoxifen and letrozole on IVF outcomes. Currently she is evaluating fertility preservation utilization in Rhode Island by using the cancer registry and claims data in a novel linked database. She is a member of multiple national committees and serves as a member of the SART Advertising and Research Committees and on the editorial board of the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology.

Stanley Freedman: RICI Lifetime Recognition Award Recipient:

"When I heard that a Christian and a Jew were gathering a group of people in RI who were supportive of Israel and against antisemitism, I wanted in! As a founding member of RICI, I encouraged others to join us, to sign up for our newsletter and to support us financially. Fellow friends and Brown University alumni and parents continue to donate to our cause. Personally I was happy to provide music for Israeli night at Praise Tabernacle Church in Cranston, at the JCC for Israeli night in Providence and at a public celebration for an Israeli military victory outside PTC.

No other Jewish group was willing to come out in public and show their support. I particularly enjoyed going out with other members and speaking and educating other groups about Israel.

I encourage others to go out on busy street corners and wave Israeli flags and hold anti antisemitism banners with RICI president, Ken Schneider, and other RICI supporters.

Howard Brown, RICI’s founding executive director, adds: “Typically modest, Stan omits a few things! With his lifetime of memory about RI and especially the Jewish community, he was an invaluable asset. He

was a founding member and active member of the RICI board, generous of his time and

knowledge. Stan's knowledge of Jewish geography was priceless, and because he had taught at both

Temple Sinai and Beth El, he was able to steer us to significant donors. He has a strategic mind and was one of the very key leaders I turned to all during my work as exec. He also maintained an active

pro-RICI Facebook page (he was co-editor with me) and assisted RICI in keeping strong connections

within the local Jewish community. While he's still among us, I feel recognition is due him.”

Please direct questions any event questions to maria@ricoalitionforisrael.org