Dear friends,

This summer has flown by—and with the upcoming High Holy Days, the last few days of August through mid-September will be filled with exciting community events. 

And wow!  The first year of my term has certainly been a whirlwind.  We’ve done so much already, but there’s so much more to do.

This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina—and a tremendous opportunity for us to celebrate how far we’ve come in five years.  Please plan on attending the special Havdalah service on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown JCC.  There will be music, dancing, prayer and spiked sno-balls (non-alcoholic will be available as well).  What’s not to like?

After Rosh Hashanah, there are two back-to-back events of great importance.  The Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana (JEF) is holding their annual event on Sunday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel Riverside.  Scott and Margie Cowen will receive the Tzedakah Award at the event, which will also honor Ellen Abrams with the Helen A. Mervis Jewish Community Professional Award. 

On Tuesday, September 14, I hope to see all of you at Federation's and JEF's 97^th Annual Meeting at the Goldring-Woldenberg Jewish Community Campus in Metairie.  It starts at 6:45 p.m. with a fun nosh and wine, and will feature a performance from New Orleans Jewish Day School students as well as guest speaker – and my dear friend – Dr. Kenneth W. Stein of Emory University.  Ken is a wonderfully thoughtful speaker, and I guarantee you that his perspective on the Middle East will make you think.

As the High Holy Days wane and 5771 is fully underway, preparations for the upcoming General Assembly (GA) will surge into high gear.  Federation staff are working diligently behind the scenes to help the GA succeed – in fact, they’re working on materials to send out to the community soon about how each of you can help make this GA the best ever.  Even better, if you volunteer for a shift at the GA (and trust me, there will be at least 400 opportunities), you’ll receive free admission that day.  Start watching your inbox for details after Labor Day.

L’Shanah Tovah, New Orleans!  Let’s celebrate how far we’ve moved forward in five years and how much we’re working towards in the future.

Yours,