2021 has already dealt a severe blow to so many Americans. Across the south, a historic freeze has left half a million people without power and in need of water and other basic supplies, and dozens of people have already died - circumstances are especially dire in neighboring Texas and across parts of Louisiana.

Our parent organization, the Jewish Federations of North America, through their Emergency Disaster Committee, will provide oversight and allocate funds to those impacted by the winter storm systems. 100% of the funds raised will be distributed.

Click here to donate.

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans announces hiring of new executive director for Center for Jewish-Multicultural Affairs

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans is thrilled to announce the appointment of Aaron Bloch as the new Executive Director of the groundbreaking Goldring Family Foundation Center for Jewish-Multicultural Affairs (CJMA). Bloch will replace outgoing executive director, Mithun Kamath, who departed for a senior position in the New Orleans District Attorney's administration.
 

Launched in October 2020, the CJMA was made possible by a generous gift from the Goldring Family Foundation, which funded it as a three-year pilot program. The CJMA currently focuses on four primary outreach areas: Jewish/African-American relations; LGBTQ outreach, through the existing Jewish Pride New Orleans (JP NOLA) program; Jewish/Latin-American relations; and Multi-Faith relations. Since its inception in the fall, the CJMA has partnered with Loyola University and New Orleans East Hospital on critical outreach initiatives, and the Center also hosted a landmark virtual civil and human rights mission in December that welcomed former United Nations Ambassador Samantha Power. The CJMA is co-chaired by Bradley Bain and Ina Davis.
 
"I appreciate the Jewish Federation's confidence in me, and I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the Goldring Family Foundation Center for Jewish-Multicultural Affairs to further its mission of building lasting community partnerships between Jewish and non-Jewish communities," said Bloch. "As Executive Director, I will strive to connect the unique visions of individuals and organizations in our wider New Orleans community. Together, we are stronger, and it is in this spirit that I begin my work."

Aaron Bloch was born and raised in New York and has called New Orleans home since 2015. A graduate of Binghamton University, 2001, and New York Law School in 2005, Aaron practiced law in New York for seven years before moving to New Orleans to accept a position with the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) as an Education Pioneers Fellow. During his time at OPSB he focused on school accountability, the unification of schools under Act 91, and the formation of a new school at the New Orleans juvenile detention center now known as the Travis Hill School. In 2017, he left OPSB to work on a New Orleans City Council campaign and has since worked on dozens of local campaigns and ballot initiatives as a strategist, manager, digital communications specialist, and field director. 

Aaron first came to the Jewish Federation of New Orleans in 2017 as a Board Member of JNOLA, and most recently served as a co-chair of the board from 2019-2021. He is a member of the New Orleans Coalition and previously served as a member of the Friends of Travis Hill Advisory Board, formed to support New Orleans’ system-involved youth with mentorship and support as they leave New Orleans adult jail and juvenile detention facility and return to the community. He recently passed the Louisiana Bar Exam and is awaiting admission to practice in Louisiana.  
 
"We are excited for Aaron to join the Jewish Federation  team as Executive Director of the Center," enthused CJMA co-chairs Bradley Bain and Ina Davis. "Aaron brings his extensive, professional experience building coalitions and advancing regional education to hone the Center’s core missions of outreach and fostering community. Moreover, in his relatively short time in New Orleans, Aaron has already left his mark on the Jewish community, taking on leadership roles including co-chair of JNOLA, the Federation’s “next generation” program focused on networking, community service, and social engagement through a uniquely Jewish lens. The Center looks forward to great advances under Aaron!"
 

To learn more about the CJMA and its innovative work, visit jewishnola.com/multicultural.