Thank you!

Give NOLA Day 2019 was incredible and meaningful for the Jewish Federation, and that's entirely because of you.

Our primary goal was to demonstrate the power of community, with the aim of receiving 180 household gifts - and we more than accomplished that, with 225 gifts totaling $109,571!

As a result, we finished in first place for amount raised (among small organizations) for an amazing fifth year in a row, resulting in an extra $10,000 to the Annual Campaign.

We were thrilled to be joined in yesterday's day of communal giving by so many other area Jewish organizations: ADL South Central, Avodah, Congregation Beth Israel, Hadassah, JCC, Jewish Children's Regional Service, Jewish Community Day School, Jewish Family Service, NCJW, the Northshore Jewish Congregation, Slater Torah Academy, Temple Sinai, and Tulane Hillel. All together, your New Orleans Jewish community raised nearly $200,000.

That's pretty incredible.

A special thank you to all the tireless volunteers and power hour donors (Josh Rubenstein and Arnie and Sue Fielkow) who made such an extraordinary day possible. And thank you so much for your thoughtfulness on Give NOLA Day!

Announcing the 2019-2021 Katz-Phillips Class

The Federation’s Katz-Phillips Leadership Development Program, formerly known as Lemann-Stern, has been in existence since 1960. A year and a half in length, the class meets monthly, September-May the first year and September-December the second year, with Graduation in January. Sessions deal with Jewish American history, social action, leadership, and more. Graduates of the program have served on the boards of every Jewish agency, synagogue and organization in our community, and have used the knowledge gained from the program to benefit the wider New Orleans community as well.

Congratulations to the 2019-2021 Katz-Phillips class, which is our community's largest class in thirty-five years:
 

Josh & Casey Denson | Mitch Frank | Harris Golden & Ashley Barriere

Eric & Jillian Greenberg | Nicole Harvey | Adam Kancher & McKensie Kirchner

Andy & Paige Katz | Dana Keren | Stefan Kostolitz

Ben & Megan Lowenburg | Chandler & Chelsea Nutik | Sarah Schatzmann

Derek Shanman & Elise Henry | David Shepard | Sami Slovy | Aran Toshav & Rebecca Friedman

Brian Weimer | Joshua & Julia Zuckerman | Max & Lorenza Zwain

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans & ADL South Central Region Statement on Chabad of Poway Terror Attack

This morning, during services celebrating the end of Passover and Shabbat, a gunman entered the Chabad synagogue in Poway, CA, and opened fire. Particularly poignant with the end of Passover, this tragedy occurs on a day when Jewish communities worldwide add special Yizkor memorial prayers to remember deceased relatives. Our hearts are with the victims and their loved ones, and we pray for the full recovery of all those injured. We are yet again horrified by another act of wanton bloodshed and grotesque anti-Semitism.

Over the past several months, we have borne witness to repeated attacks against houses of worship in our nation and around the world: Pittsburgh, Christchurch, and the Easter Sunday attacks across Sri Lanka. Today, six months to the day after the horrific shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue, we add Poway to that growing list.

We urge all Americans to stand together with their neighbors against senseless violence and hateful rhetoric. We condemn in the harshest terms the rise in hate-fueled attacks against communities of faith.

Henry Miller | Board Chair | Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans

Bradley Bain | Chair | Jewish Community Relations Council

Arnie D. Fielkow | CEO | Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans

Aaron Ahlquist | Regional Director | ADL South Central

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans & ADL South Central Region Statement on the Sri Lanka Terror Attacks

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and the ADL South Central Region are horrified by the Easter morning terror attacks across Sri Lanka, in which coordinated bombings, including suicide bombings, ripped through churches, hotels, a banquet hall, and a highway flyover in the cities of Colombo, Negombo and Batticaloa.

Three churches were targeted as worshippers gathered to mark Easter—we are heartbroken and angered, as a place of worship should always be a place of peace and welcome. We pray for the victims and their loved ones, and for the recovery of all those injured. As with Charleston, Christchurch and Pittsburgh, we are sickened by the violent impact of intolerant rhetoric and hate.

We send our condolences to all in Sri Lanka, with a special prayer this Passover and Paschal season for peace and solidarity.

Arnie D. Fielkow | CEO | Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans

Henry Miller | Board Chair | Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans

Bradley Bain | Chair | Jewish Community Relations Council

Aaron Ahlquist | Regional Director | ADL South Central
 

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans & ADL South Central Region Statement on Arrest in St. Landry Parish Church Fires

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and the ADL South Central Region stand in solidarity with St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, LA, and Greater Union Baptist Church and Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, both in Opelousas, LA, in the aftermath of the horrific fires that destroyed their buildings. We also commend law enforcement for its swift apprehension of the alleged perpetrator of the arsons, and await more information as the investigation proceeds. We appreciate the continued efforts of law enforcement to ensure the safety and security of other religious institutions in those communities throughout the state.

That the alleged perpetrator appears to have singled out African-American churches specifically is deeply troubling, and certainly no house of worship should ever be targeted for violence.

The Seventh District Missionary Baptist Association, part of the Louisiana Missionary Baptist State Convention, is actively raising funds to benefit rebuilding efforts for all three churches. We encourage those interested in donating to visit: https://www.gofundme.com/church-fires-st-landry-parishmacedonia-ministry

Arnie D. Fielkow | CEO | Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans
Henry Miller | Board Chair | Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans
Bradley Bain | Chair | Jewish Community Relations Council
Aaron Ahlquist | Regional Director | ADL South Central 

 

HBCU Series: Presented by Morris Bart kicked off on April 9 at Xavier University of Louisiana

On Tuesday, April 9, the 2019 Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans HBCU Speaker Series: Presented by Morris Bart launched at Xavier University of Louisiana. The program featured remarks from Pastor Chris Harris of Bright Star Community Outreach in Chicago, who discussed African-American/Jewish relations, as well as urban violence and the model of NATAL - the Israel Trauma Center for Victims of Terror and War - and how he is applying it to train faith leaders and mental health professionals as counselors to provide violence prevention services in inner-city communities in the United States.

This event marked the launch of a three-part series aimed at connecting the Jewish and African-American communities in the Greater New Orleans area on relevant topics of mutual interest. The past, present, and future of the Jewish/African-American relationship will be explored by different national and local experts, with the goal of engaging both Jews and African-Americans in the region. Future events will be held at Dillard University and Southern University at New Orleans in the fall.

Check out Pastor Harris' full remarks below.