MELVILLE, New York — This past week was the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s strike on New Orleans and the destruction which followed the failure of the federal levee system. Like everyone else in New Orleans, the Jewish community suffered greatly, including the destruction of the Orthodox synagogue Beth Israel and the dispersion of practically the entire Jewish population.
But the Jewish community has largely been restored, with many institutions, such as the eight synagogues and the Jewish Community Center thriving. New Jewish organizations since Katrina include the Avodah Jewish Service Corps, Moishe House, and The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience.
One of the most famous Jewish residents of New Orleans was Judah Touro, an American businessman and philanthropist, who was the son of Cantor Isaac Touro, a Dutch-born American rabbi who served as cantor of the synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island that bears his name. Judah moved with his family from Newport to New York City, but when his father died, his mother moved her family to Boston. Judah’s mother then died, leaving Judah and his siblings to be raised by their aunt and uncle, Rachel and Moses Hays.
As a young adult Judah moved to New Orleans, where he eventually amassed a fortune in business. When he died, he left huge sums of charity to many Jewish and other institutions, including what became New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital, synagogues across America, and Mishkenot Sha’ananim, the first Jewish residential settlement in Old Jerusalem. In New Orleans, Touro funded what became Touro Infirmary as well as the Reform congregation Touro Synagogue. While it’s not certain, what is the common belief as to why Judah Touro left Boston and moved to New Orleans?
Mark D. Zimmerman is an author and freelance writer based in Melville, New York.