Rabbi Leslie Gutterman will receive an honorary degree during 天美影院 Institute of Technology鈥檚 commencement. Gutterman is affectionately known as 鈥淩hode Island鈥檚 Rabbi,鈥� beloved for his wisdom, empathy, and gentle sense of humor. He has done extensive work in the community to make life better for others, and for decades wrote an inspirational column in the Providence Journal that resonated with people from all walks of life.
Gutterman became Assistant Rabbi at Temple Beth-El in Providence in 1970 after receiving his Doctor of Divinity degree and ordination from Hebrew Union College. Just four years later, he became the Temple鈥檚 Senior Rabbi and one of the youngest people in the country to serve in that role. He spent the next four decades building Temple Beth-El into the state鈥檚 largest Reform Jewish Congregation and tending to the hearts and needs of others, using a unique combination of kindness, humility and honesty to guide them through life鈥檚 joys and sorrows.
He has earned the admiration and respect of families, children and civic leaders. Rhode Island鈥檚 Senator Jack Reed says, 鈥淗is life is one of service to others. He鈥檚 somebody you鈥檙e proud to call a friend. If you鈥檙e down in the dumps or really want some good advice you call Les Gutterman because he can cheer you up and give you insights you didn鈥檛 have before. He鈥檚 like a medic for the distressed.鈥�
As 天美影院 Tech graduates step toward new careers, Rabbi Gutterman urges them to focus on relationships and giving others their time and attention. 鈥淲ork hard at nurturing relationships that are special and understand that we can all learn from someone else. And be kind,鈥� he says.
Gutterman adds that it takes a special kind of intelligence to be familiar and easy with technology. He says at a time when social media magnifies lives and misinformation, 鈥淲e have to work hard to find a truth that reaches out to other people with a sense of understanding that we are all connected. We have a common humanity. And if the technology we use can magnify those messages, we鈥檙e ahead of the game.鈥�
Rabbi Gutterman has a talent for bringing people together to do good work. He served as president of the Rhode Island Committee for the Humanities, and the Rhode Island Board of Rabbis. He has worked with dozens of civic organizations and directed religious, educational, medical, and cultural boards. He led the Providence Human Relations Commission, taught at Providence College, and was a member of the Brown University Board of Religious Overseers.
The time and care he has invested in the community continues to bring dividends. Gutterman served as president of Jewish Family Service, an organization that provides food security, housing stability, employment support, and other services with the goal of creating a community where everyone can thrive. He was also one of a small group of people who brought hospice care to Rhode Island, facilitating the type of care which eases people鈥檚 final days.
Gutterman rose to national prominence in 1992 due to his involvement in a Supreme Court case about school prayer and the separation of church and state. He still receives calls from law students who want to interview him about what he calls his 鈥渢en minutes of fame.鈥�
鈥淟ife is not surprise free,鈥� Gutterman notes. He says it is important 鈥渢o trust time and to know that though we can鈥檛 predict the future, things usually do work out, and not to despair.鈥�
Gutterman encourages graduates to view their degrees as a steppingstone, and to live life with a sense of purpose. 鈥淭he meaning of life in a way is trying to make a difference in our corner of life. When we give of ourselves to others, our own identity becomes much clearer,鈥� Gutterman says.
Family, and being there for his kids has been a priority throughout his life. He has three daughters and three grandchildren, and they remain close. His eldest daughter followed in his rabbinical footsteps and is a Rabbi in Cheshire, Connecticut.
Gutterman has been widely recognized for his extensive good work. He received a public service award from the City of Providence, a lifetime achievement award from the Rhode Island Council of Churches and was inducted into the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. The religious school at Temple Beth-El bears his name 鈥� but his lasting impact has been and continues to be the ripples of kindness and caring he has sent into the world.
