Announcement from the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans

Dear Community Members,
 
I hope everyone is enjoying a great summer. It is hard to believe how fast summer has gone, and that we will soon be seeing our schools re-open, summer camps end, the first Saints preseason game, and, just weeks away, the High Holidays. We have been very busy at Federation over the past few months, including the execution of a highly successful trade mission to Israel last month. 40 members of our community visited Israel, including around 30 business and economic leaders (the first time Federation has led this type of commercial mission) and all returned with a love and appreciation for what the “Start Up Nation" has accomplished in just seven decades!

I usually reserve this monthly column to discuss important events happening in Judaism and around the world. There is certainly no shortage of these items, including the continuation of the horrific war in Ukraine, the upheaval in Russia as it relates to the Jewish community, and continued acts of antisemitism seen throughout the United States and globally.

But my message today is just one of thanks! I'm thankful for the great opportunity to lead this wonderful organization the past 5+ years. Thanks for bringing Susan, me, and our family back to the greatest city in the world, and thanks for allowing me the opportunity to re-connect with my Jewish roots in a very meaningful way. Over the past several years, I have met and worked with so many wonderful people in our local Jewish community - including a tremendously dedicated professional staff and lay leadership which inspire me each and every day - and I thank each and every one of you for your personal and professional support!

As some of you know, I will be retiring as Jewish Federation CEO at the end of this calendar year. I have greatly enjoyed my Federation tenure and believe a very solid foundation has been laid for my successor’s future success. I came into office with an agenda to broaden Federation’s appeal to all segments of our Jewish community and also to better integrate the Jewish Federation into the New Orleans community-at-large. Despite having to overcome COVID-19, hurricanes, and many other things thrown our way, I am very proud of what we together have accomplished, including:

• Creating beneficial new financial and programming partnerships throughout the greater New Orleans community
• Significantly upgrading Federation revenue streams, including nearly $2.5 Million in new revenue through sponsorships, grants and naming rights (allowing nearly all of Federation programming to now be self-funded)
• Opening of two ground-breaking centers of excellence - the first of their kind within the Federation system - the Goldring Family Foundation Center for Jewish-Multicultural Affairs and the Sherry and Alan Leventhal Center for Interfaith Families
• Leading the effort to rescind the New Orleans City Council’s Resolution supporting the failed Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement
• Leading several pro-Israel initiatives throughout the community, including the celebration of two Israel Independence Day events at the Governor’s Mansion with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, the passage of anti-BDS legislation in Louisiana, and the first ever Federation Louisiana Trade Mission to Israel
• Leading the Jewish community educational and fundraising efforts in response to COVID-19, Hurricanes Laura and Ida, and the war in Ukraine: including a much-appreciated take home meal program for local health care workers; financial assistance to hurricane victims throughout Louisiana; and the raising of over $300,000 to date to support Ukrainian relief efforts
• Strengthening Federation relationships with the community’s clergy and synagogues, including creation of an annual Oneg/Kiddush support program, grants available through the Leventhal Center for Interfaith programming, and help with the preparation of grant documents involving the federal Non Profit Security Grant program
• Establishing the Louisiana Jewish Coalition consisting of Jewish agencies and synagogues throughout Louisiana
• Implementing a comprehensive Greater New Orleans Security program (including the raising of over $500,000), including the hiring of our first ever Community Security Director, design of a community-wide alert system, and laying the foundation for a future state security grant program to supplement the federal security grants
• Designing and implementing successful programs in support of our LBGTQ+ community (JP NOLA) and in keeping young Jewish adults in New Orleans (Mentoring)

In sum, it has been a full and truly wonderful 5+ years, and I am so grateful to all of you. The New Orleans Jewish community is strong, resilient and impactful, and it has been an absolute honor and a privilege to have had the opportunity to lead it. As for what may be next for me, stay tuned as I still have much to give back to a community I love! In the interim, Susan and I look forward to enjoying life, travel and our two (and hopefully more to come!) grandchildren.

Enjoy the rest of the summer and please don’t hesitate to reach out if the Federation or myself can help in any way.

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

Message from Federation Board Chair, Brian Katz

The Jewish Federation is grateful to Arnie for a terrific 5 years at the helm of our community. Arnie has truly been a bridge builder in the broadest sense. He has been able to increase the Federation's impact throughout the communal, philanthropic, business and religious communities. We will have a chance to celebrate all of his accomplishments with the Federation at our Annual Celebration on December 7th at the Audubon Tea Room.

We are conducting a nationwide search to find Arnie’s successor. Melinda Mintz and Jonny Lake are chairing the CEO Selection Committee made up of the following community members: Alan Franco, Josh Force, Rebecca Friedman, Kathy Shepard, Rabbi Bob Loewy and Sarah Schatzmann.

Further, we have hired DRG Talent Consulting Experts to lead the committee through the interviewing and hiring process. I will update the community on our process in the coming months.

Jewish Federation 2022-2024 Nomination Slate

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans' Annual Meeting will take place September 14, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. During this brief business meeting, Federation members (defined as being part of a Jewish household and a donor in good standing to the 2022 Annual Campaign) will vote on the nominating slate below.

Pursuant to the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans By-Laws, Article VI, Section 5, the 2022-2024 Nomination Slate is posted to the membership at large. Additional names for Trustees and Officers may be nominated by petition containing the signatures of at least 50 members of the Federation. Nominations by petition shall be submitted, in writing, to the current Secretary (Marc Behar) at least 30 days before the Annual Meeting.

Register now at jewishnola.com/2022annualmeeting.

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans 2022-2024 Nominating Slate

Jonathan Lake, Board Chair Designate
Board of Trustees Members:
Barri Bronston | Tracey Dodd | Emma Herr
Lee Sucherman | Steve Timm | Tana Velen

Respectfully submitted by:

Joshua S. Force, 2022-2024 Federation Nominating Committee Chair

2022-2024 Federation Nominating Committee Members:
Mara Force | Michele Gelman | Melinda Mintz | Peter Seltzer
Dana Shepard | Kathy Shepard | Shea Soll | Tana Velen

The Annual Celebration will take place December 7, 2022 at the Jerome S. Glazer Audubon Tea Room.

Crisis in Ukraine: How You Can Help

With the Russian invasion now underway and multiple locations under fire, support for the Jewish community is needed urgently.

Immediate and short-term needs already total $16 million and include:

• Helping people make Aliyah to Israel 
• Securing the local community and its institutions
• Maintaining critical welfare services
• Assisting internally displaced people in multiple locations.  
• Launching an emergency hotline
• Securing temporary housing for people in transit
• Purchasing satellite phones to maintain communications across the region
• Securing five Jewish schools and training staff to manage crisis needs

Learn more and donate here: jfeds.org/CrisisInUkraine 

The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans was built for moments like this—from COVID-19 to hurricanes, we have tackled our community’s most devastating and seemingly intractable challenges. As the Talmud mandates, Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh—all Jews are responsible for one another, and your Federation takes that seriously. As the connective tissue for Jewish New Orleans, our mission has never been more clear- to inspire, connect and sustain our Jewish organizations for the future of our community.

Other ways to support the Federation

• Transfer stock to the Federation’s Morgan Stanley Account (#575-060565-239). Contact Carla Marciniak at carla.marciniak@morganstanley.com or 504-587-9645 (please be sure that your name is on the stock transfer). Kindly contact the Federation office at 504-780-5600 to notify Federation what kind of stock and how many shares have been transferred.
• Make a gift from your Jewish Endowment Foundation donor advised fund, and email sherritarr@jewishnola.com that information.
• Donate from your IRA through a regular distribution.
• Mail a check (payable to the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans) postmarked by December 31, 2021 to 3747 W. Esplanade Avenue, Metairie, LA 70002.
• Please consider leaving a legacy for the Jewish Federation – for more information on how to endow your gift, please contact Bobby Garon at the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana at 504-524-4559.

Here’s a message from our 2022 Annual Campaign Co-Chairs, Steve & Nancy Timm: