We’re taking a break the next few days at the RFC before plunging into the final frenzy of getting our year-end letters out. However you celebrate this week, I wish you a warm and peaceful time. I’ll resume my regular blog posting next week.

Last weekend Elli and I went to see After the Revolution in New York City. Many people think this play, which has gotten rave reviews, is based in part on my parents’ circumstances, but it isn’t. Instead, it is a slightly fictionalized account of another family, the Josephs, whose experience has some parallels to that of my parents.

At yesterday’s staff meeting, Amber, Jenn and I discussed our plans for the final set of receptions next spring to wrap up our 20/20/20 program. You may recall that we decided to mark our 20th anniversary by staging 20 events, over 20 months, in 20 cities. The first event took place in Albany, NY in September 2009, and we expect the last one to be held in May 2011.

Last week my blog post reproduced the talk I gave at the RFC’s 20th Anniversary Gala event on October 17th. This week I’m turning this space over to my daughter, Jenn Meeropol, the RFC’s Grantmaking Coordinator, so that those of you who could not attend can learn what she had to say as well. I’m scheduled for jury duty next week, but for some reason the system has never selected me to sit on a jury.

Below, I am reproducing the talk I gave at our 20th Anniversary Gala on October 17th. It was a great party, attended by over 200 of our staunchest supporters from Western Massachusetts, as well as people from Boston, New York City, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York City, and the Albany, NY area. I’m sharing my words with you, because many of you could not make it.

-Robert Meeropol

-----------------------------------------