THE BEST OF THE ™ CHANUKAH 2014 / 5775 New Orleans Holocaust Memorial by Yaacov Agam Photo by Hunter Thomas Photography New Orleans U NDERDOGS? Never underestimate the resilient spirit of New Orleanians. The Jewish New Orleans community only totaled about a decisive victory at the Battle of New Orleans was quite the ego dozen men when the Louisiana Purchase was signed in 1803. boast for the underdog militia. It was a banner of pride to be However there are indications that they were quite comfortable worn proudly that, no matter what the obstacles, success would and connected in their newly adopted home. A decade later—at come to those fi ghting on the right side. the Battle of New Orleans most of these same Jewish men were fi ghting alongside Andrew Jackson’s troops defending and pro- Although the Crescent City Jewish News website is about tecting their beloved hometown of New Orleans. four years old, our commitment to the New Orleans Jewish community through our print issues is in its second year. This Who were these men who settled into the New Orleans com- publication—The Best of the Crescent City Jewish News – is the munity more than two centuries ago? First, of all , they were third issue of our semi-annual publications, which document the men seeking economic opportunities to improve their fi nancial events of the past several months. With each publication, we are well being and social standing. They voluntarily relocated from reaching more of our core local Jewish audience. Like those brave large Northeast and New England communities fi lled with the Jewish defenders of New Orleans from a previous century, we are security of their family and friends to an isolated region full of also proud to acknowledge that each new publication affords us high humidity, swamps teeming with alligators and disease car- invaluable recognition from our fellow journalists on the quality rying mosquitoes. Despite what we would prefer to believe, these of our product. Over the course of the last year our writing team earliest Jewish citizens weren’t seeking religious asylum. They has been awarded three separate recognitions. With your contin- were comfortable with their Jewish heritage, but they were not ued support, our perseverance and tenacious spirit will help us to religious nor ranked religious practice as a high priority. (Editor’s stay true to our mission! note: The fi rst organized house of worship, Congregation Gates of Mercy was chartered in 1828.) FYI…The Bicentennial COMMEMORATION DAY OF THE BATTLE OF New Orleans is Thursday, January 8, 2015. Don’t Even through the Treaty of Ghent ending the War of 1812 miss of the special events! For more information go to -- had already been signed two weeks prior to the altercation, the www.battleofneworleans2015.com TABLE OF CONTENTS Chanukah Greetings 4 Best of June 6 Best of July 11 Best of August 15 Chloe Valdary 17 Best of September 19 Best of October 23 Allen Fagin 27 Best of November 28 CRESCENT CITY JEWISH NEWS Editorial & Advertising Offices 32 3810 Nashville Avenue Trivia New Orleans, LA 70125 Editorial Contact: Jewish War Veterans 33 [email protected] Advertising Contact: 34 [email protected] Obituaries crescentcityjewishnews.com The Best of the Crescent City Jewish News | 3 Happy Chanukah! Holiday Greetings from Joy & Happiness through the Happy Hanukkah Lakeview Brew Coffee Café holiday season! from our family to yours. Open daily at 7:00AM Bryan Subaru Koz’s Restaurant in 5606 Canal Blvd. 8305 Airline Highway Lakeview & Harahan 629-2768 Visit us for all your Kosher shopping! Have a wonderful holiday season Great gifts for the holidays. A very happy & joyous from the best made Tickets to a performance at Hanukkah! hamburgers in town LePetit! Kosher Cajun LAKEVIEW HARBOR Happy Hanukkah! New York Deli & Grocery Restaurant & Bar www.lepetittheatre.com 911 Harrison Ave 3519 Severn Ave. Kenny and Ziggy’s Happy Chanukah from your Warm wishes to you and yours at OUR BEST FOR THE HOIDAYS! friends at Dixie Mill Hanukkah! Order your latkes from foody 901 Tchoupitoulas St. The Mandina family direct. 504-525-6101 www.kennyandziggys.com Mandina’s Restaurant Richard Cain, President 3800 Canal Mardi Gras Zone Wishes the community Happy Hanukkah Let’s celebrate at a great Hannukah. From Beverly Katz WAFFLES on MAPLE Check out our homemade Landscape Designer Happy Hanukkah! hummus and fresh Friday and Owner of 7112 Maple St. challahs. Exterior Designs www.mardigraszone.com www.exteriordesignsbev.com Happy Hanukkah from your friends at Chateau Drugs & Gifts 3544 W. Esplanade Ave. 4 | The Best of the Crescent City Jewish News crescentcityjewishnews.com Happy Chanukah! THARP-SONTHEIMER-THARP Hanukkah Greetings from Naghi’s Funeral Home Benjamin Franklin High School 637 Canal – 633 Royal St. – 1600 N. Causeway Blvd. the best and the brightest since 1957 800 Royal St. May all the joys of Chanukah www.bfhsla.org Estate Jewelry & Judaica fi ll your heart throughout Gifts for the holidays the New Year. Happy Chanukah from our We believe in Elementary family to yours. Stephen L. Sontheimer Jewish Education. Billy Henry Visit us online www.jcdsnola.org Happy Chanukah! South Coast Solar Hampton Inn Garden District Jewish Community Day School of southcoastsolar.com 504-529-7869 3626 St. Charles Ave. Greater New Orleans Wishing you a BRIGHT Wishing all our friends a very Sharon Pollin, Head of School Chanukah! happy holiday season. Hanukkah wishes from Haase’s TURN sunlight into savings. Shoes and Children’s Clothing. Lighting the Chanukah candles – Come and visit us for your HAPPY CHANUKAH! a simple yet powerful holiday gifts. Jewish tradition Cheri Meisel (Sales/Lease 8119 Oak St. (Uptown) we pass from Consultant) generation to generation! Bergeron Automotive Happy Chanukah! May each candle you light make 3525 Veterans Blvd. Metairie Torah Academy your Hanukkah bright! Direct: 504-909-2270 Touro 5210 W. Esplanada Ave. PLEASE ASK FOR CHERI! 504-456-6429 1401 Foucher St. New Orleans crescentcityjewishnews.com The Best of the Crescent City Jewish News | 5 *PICTURE from Tulane, but need credit which isn’t Tulane JUNE 2014 Gary Remer named new Anshe Sfard president JUNE 13, 2014 Orthodox synagogue. Remer leader, Rabbi David Polsky. Berman’s track record and noted Street synagogue. Anshe Sfard is takes over the reins of the syna- Remer indicated he is ready to the signifi cant accomplishments the only Orthodox, non-Chabad Gary Remer, a Tulane pro- gogue following the resignation immediately assume the respon- he made under his administra- synagogue located in the city of fessor who previously served of Benjamin Berman, who had sibilities that have been held by tion. These included making New Orleans proper. Congregation Anshe Sfard as held that post over the last six Berman. substantial necessary physical its vice-president, was offi cially years. During Berman’s term In an interview Remer stated repairs and esthetic accents to the named the new president of the he secured the current spiritual that he was very happy with physical plant of the Carondelet Inevitable president Scott Cowen launches new book at JCC BY ALAN SMASON and Seifter had intended for each of the ten chapters and 242 pages JUNE 13, 2014 it comprises. Chapter One, titled “Hard The primary title of outgo- Calls,” for example, dealt with ing Tulane University president the extremely diffi cult decisions Scott Cowen’s new book, “The Cowen and other Tulane Univer- Inevitable City,” comes from ge- sity administrators were called ographer Peirce Lewis’ prophetic into making following the de- description of New Orleans, struction from Hurricane Katrina which he deemed “the inevitable and associated fl ooding. The real- city on the impossible site.” ity, he said was that 1,000 faculty That interesting title seemed members were ultimately let go, fortuitous and when applied to departments were scrubbed or the general themes contained reorganized and even colleges within the work, particularly like Newcomb were absorbed apropos, Cowen explained before into new schools. Scott Cowen reading “The Inevitable City” at the JCC. (Photo by Outgoing Tulane University president Scott Cowen reads from an audience of 100 well-wishers He has very critical words Alan Smason) his new book, “The Inevitable City” at the JCC on Wednesday. and supporters gathered at the in the chapter titled “Chocolate (Photo by Alan Smason) Uptown Jewish Community Cen- City,” named after an infamous tempting to curtail the problems Cowen commented on the re- “His constellation of words and ter on Wednesday night, June 11. speech given by Mayor C. Ray associated with disconnected cent convocation exercises at the how he put them down…it was The event held in the Mintz Nagin, over which Cowen took youth. According to Cowen, Mercedes-Benz Superdome last just beautiful and his delivery in Auditorium had been rescheduled the mayor to task. “What were some 16,000 disconnected youth month at which trumpeter and particular.” The university presi- from the previous night, when a you thinking when you gave that may account for the vast major- jazz authority Wynton Marsalis dent declared his was the greatest combination of a late fl ight from speech?” Cowen recalled asking ity of the crime problem in the delivered the commencement commencement address he had Washington, D.C. and expected Nagin. area. speech. “This man is pure poetry ever heard. inclement weather sent JCC of- “I was just saying that the city He compared different ap- when he speaks,” he stated. Before ending the night, he fi cials scrambling into postponing had to remain a racially diverse proaches to the recovery effort Cowen explained that Marsa- entertained a number of ques- the book talk and signing for 24 community,” he responded to from Hurricane Katrina, citing lis does not fl y, but hired a driver tions from the audience and then hours.