Process Reflections of a Block Student

This seminar educated me on so many different levels- including the contextual history of the storm, the Jewish community’s response to crisis and the greater community’s will to revive itself after the urgency of the disaster has seemed to ware off across the nation. The seminar was an intimate glimpse into both the organizations that were discussed by New Orleans’s Jewish communal leaders (including the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, the JCC, JFCS, and other prominent orgs.) as well as the personal accounts, losses and opportunities of the individuals that spoke to us. Meeting with these figures exposed us to candid, honest answers about the Jewish Community of New Orleans, the greater North American Jewish Community, the Government and the press’s response to the crisis. Something that hit me was the shift from donors becoming the recipients of help. It was stated a few times that one of the difficult things to overcome was being the person who was asking for help as opposed to being a supporter. It saddens me that this paradigm was just one of many that arose after the catastrophic chaos of such a horrific event.

With that being said- there was a distinct message that was conveyed by all of our speakers- and this was the unique opportunity to start anew out of the depths of a tragic disaster. The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans has proven to be a pillar of support for its community in a time of need, and has strategically invested in continuing to be that foundation. The Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans’s strategic plan lists several tasks at hand that will enable the New Orleans Jewish Community to grow and prosper, while still maintaining strong ties with its Jewish heritage and history.

I believe that it is vital to welcome new members to the community and engage students and recent graduates to help populate the Jewish demographic. Incentivizing these newcomers is a surefire way to rebuild a reputation as a vibrant, growing and active community. Students and young professionals are inspired by promoting change and encouraging growth, and these ideals spread like wildfire in a city that embraces transforming itself. Alternatively, I believe it is equally as important to focus on those who have left the community. While maintaining ties with those who have left seems perhaps secondary, I believe this to be a priority, in order to not only bring in donations for the annual campaign, but to maintain relationships and keep those who have strayed in touch with their former community’s growth and prosperity. Those who have left New Orleans have not forgotten about the community they have left behind, and it is important to remain an important part of their thoughts. These former members of the community are intrinsically linked to the Jewish Community in New Orleans and must constantly be reminded that although they have adopted a new community, their roots still lie in New Orleans. Increasing the community in numbers, retaining the community infrastructure and continuing to enrich Jewish lives are all important and promising goals that will foster both the next generation of young professionals and donors as well as help maintain relationships with current philanthropists and Jewish communal professionals.

It was impossible not to be impressed by the high energy, dedication and loyalty displayed in all of our speakers. I was overwhelmed by the positive outlooks and the unwavering hope for the future of New Orleans. The common themes of opportunity, community, hope and revitalization were inspiring to me both professionally and personally. Each speaker came with an agenda and a message to convey, and through their own words ultimately sent out the same message- that opportunity rises out of despair. Each lecturer spoke about the resiliency of the New Orleans Jewish Community, the grand opportunity that comes with adversity and hardship, and introduced tangible plans to rebuild the city, as opposed to abstract notions. I was beyond impressed with the mobilization of this community, and the raw emotion that our speakers were not afraid to display.

Not only did this experience educate me on the context of the Hurricane, the greater community of New Orleans or the national community’s response, but rather this seminar gave me an intimate account of lives affected, losses encountered and hope sprung.

-Alana Getzler