GEORGE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM OPENS NEW VISITORS CENTER AT TOURO SYNAGOGUE IN NEWPORT, RIThe George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom celebrated the opening of The Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. Visitors Center at Touro Synagogue on Sunday, August 2, 2009. Over 1,200 men, women and children attended on opening day.
United States Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Newport resident, was the first in the door on Sunday morning. He said, “This is not only an enormous contribution to Newport and Rhode Island but also to the entire country. It tells the story of religious freedom with pictures and videos in a very user-friendly way, accessible to all ages.”
Other visitors noted: “… this exhibit will singlehandedly change historic presentation in the city, and will definitely be on the must see list for anyone coming to Newport” and “From the moment you walked through the doors you could sense that it wasn’t going to be an ordinary experience.”
David Brussat, the leading architecture critic in Rhode Island, praised the design of the Loeb Visitors Center at Touro Synagogue in his Providence Journal article of July 30, 2009. “The Loeb Center’s primary aesthetic features all conspire to express their unorthodoxy in ways that help the building fit into its colonial context. Its rusticated Indiana limestone, its arched Palladian fenestration of mahogany, its gently pitched roof all proclaim its embrace of Newport’s architectural community. It is obviously a classical building, yet it is unlike any other. No work of classicism could possibly depart from canon with greater dignity, hence no building could possibly fit onto a historic street with greater distinction.”
The new Visitors Center features interactive, multimedia exhibits exploring the meaning and importance of George Washington’s 1790 Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport. This extraordinary letter is the first and clearest presidential expression of support for American’s constitutional right to the free exercise of religious belief and the separation of church and state.
The Loeb Visitors Center further interprets and celebrates the history and architecture of Touro Synagogue, the oldest functioning synagogue building in the nation. First dedicated in 1763, the synagogue was designed by America’s first architect, Peter Harrison. In 1946, Touro Synagogue became a National Historic Site under the U.S. Parks Service. Then in 2001, the National Trust for Historic Preservation also selected the synagogue as a National Historic Site, making it the sole religious institution amongst only 29 properties to be designated with this honor.
The Loeb Visitors Center is located on the Touro Synagogue campus at the intersection of Touro and Spring Streets, Newport, RI and is open every Sunday-Friday, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. The center is closed on Saturday. For more information, please visit www.tourosynagogue.org.
The George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom has built and will maintain the Loeb Visitors Center. The Institute’s mission is to promote awareness of the historic roots of religious liberty in America. In addition to the Loeb Visitors Center, the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom supports educational and scholarship programs for individuals seeking to learn about and discuss the origins and development of American religious liberties.
In 1981 a disheveled crew of surfers, scoundrels and a lone cook turned a hidden corner of an East Hampton parking lot into a meeting place for artists, anglers, bonackers, bankers, weekenders and wayfarers that would one day become The Blue Parrot. The East Hampton eatery that was once described by Forbes Magazine as “the East End Elaine’s” makes a much-anticipated return this summer. Having closed shop in 2006, The Blue Parrot returns to a town eager for its go-to “quirky, laid-back Tex-Mex bar and restaurant.” As the town’s favorite dive bar, meeting place and local joint, The Blue Parrot brings together local residents and summertime visitors, offering a refreshing, casual and pretense-free alternative to New York and East End dining and nightlife. Seating for The Blue Parrot’s bar and restaurant offers guests a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere where they have the choice to drink and dine alongside the bar, within the restaurant or atop the outdoor garden patio. Reservations are unnecessary at the Blue Parrot, as seating is based upon a strict first come, first served policy. In any attire, walk into this quirky hole-in-the-wall locale and you are sure to spot just about anyone, as everyone is welcome.
Make way for style-on-the-move: La Mode Revient, Traveling Atelier, founded by Sonya Rolin (of Sonya Rolin Atelier) and Irene Zelinksy (of Rolling Stonz Designs) has revolutionized the way women approach fashion and shopping. La Mode Revient—translation: The Fashion Returns—premieres in New York City on May 1st from Noon to 8 PM with an exclusive afternoon of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Hosted at the Vanessa Noel Boutique and featuring the designs of special guest, fashion designer Rubin Singer, the trunk show conveniently brings the latest in chic designs to its clients, allowing them to browse and purchase items while mingling with other trend setters and the designers themselves in an intimate, relaxed atmosphere. In such a couture-like setting, clients are given unparalleled personal attention as they are styled from head-to-toe. Additionally, a number of pieces featured at La Mode Revient will be one-of-a-kind designs, while several other items will be available as made-to-order for custom fits. In addition, 10% of all proceeds from the afternoon will be donated in support of the fight against pancreatic cancer.