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10 Years After Katrina, Struggles and Triumphs for New Orleans Jews

JL;DR SUMMARY A decade after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans' Jewish community reflects on both the enduring scars and remarkable resilience that shaped their identity following the disaster. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CommunityJewish InstitutionsCultural IdentityGenerational GapReconstructionNew OrleansHurricane KatrinaBeth IsraelSynagogue CollaborationPopulation Resilience

Places mentioned

New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
"Ten years on, many parts of New Orleans still bear scars left by the storm."
Metairie, Louisiana, United States
"In 2012, Congregation Beth Israel erected a new building in the northwest suburb of Metairie."
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States
"Most of the citys 9,500 Jews fled New Orleans, seeking shelter with family and friends in Baton Rouge, Houston, Atlanta and other cities across the country."
Houston, Texas, United States
"Most of the citys 9,500 Jews fled New Orleans, seeking shelter with family and friends in Baton Rouge, Houston, Atlanta and other cities across the country."
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
"Most of the citys 9,500 Jews fled New Orleans, seeking shelter with family and friends in Baton Rouge, Houston, Atlanta and other cities across the country."
New York, United States
"David Polsky, the energetic 37-year-old New York-born rabbi at Anshe Sfard, an Orthodox congregation in the historic Garden District, said younger downtown Jews have become regulars in recent years, though Shabbat attendance peaks at 30 or 40."
Berkeley, California, United States
"said Greenberg, who spent a year at the Hillel of the University of California, Berkeley, before landing in New Orleans."
College Station, Texas, United States
"When she came here in 2012 from College Station, Texas, after her husband, a petroleum engineer, was hired by Shell, she said she felt disconnected from the loss-and-renewal narrative, especially at Beth Israel, where she is a member."

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Retrieved 2025-08-29 05:31:19 UTC
Curated 2025-08-29 08:31:13 UTC