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New Orleans, Louisiana
Fall 2021 (3 Days)
Traveling Jewish will start out as a guide to the best of Jewish sights to see coupled with a quick history of that Jewish community, but with future trips, I will hopefully be able to meet with Jewish community members and learn more about what being Jewish looks like in that city/country. If you ever have any questions about Judaism, our culture, or anything related, please do not hesitate to reach out! If I do not know the answer I know someone that does
Check out our other NOLA Posts! 3 Days in NOLA: Bourbon St to the Bayou , New Orleans Bayou: A Day with the Alligators post and Eating My Way Through New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Table of Contents
Jewish Sites to Visit in NOLA 🕍
The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience $15
Southern Jews represent 2% of the US Jewish population. Despite being small in numbers, Jewish history in the South is long and rich. Jews have had a tremendous impact on not only Louisiana but Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and more. The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience is insightful, interesting, and brings light to Southern Jewish communities. The Museum is open six days a week from 10 am- 5 pm on Howard Street just outside the French Quarter. Tickets are $15 for adults!. I would recommend stopping at The Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience near the beginning of your NOLA trip to get comprehensive foundational knowledge for your trip.
New Orleans Holocaust Memorial
Located on the New Orleans riverfront, just outside the French Quarter in Woldenberg Park is the New Orleans Holocast Memorial. Israeli kinetic artist Yaacov Agam created the piece, meant to create different images depending on your point of view. Images range from the bright yellow Star of David to the darkness of the Shoah. Its placement is also meaningful, Woldenberg Park was founded thanks to the support of a local Jewish man. It was is also very near the port where immigrants would first enter New Orleans. Many Ashkenazi Jews from Germany, England, and Franch passed through this area on their way to religious freedom in America. The Memorial is a somber reminder of the Shoah, as well as a celebration of Jewish resillence.
The National World War II Museum $29.50
Located in New Orlean's Central Business District, the National WWII Museum opened its doors in 2000.Exhibits including "The Arsenal of Democracy", "Road to Tokyo", "Road to Berlin","Bayou to Battlefield" and more outline the complexities of the war. From political leaders to everyday soldiers, the museum explores all aspects of this world changing war. It also exhibits on the Shoah, a systematic genocide against the European Jewish community. The Museum also hosts many events including an annual International Holocaust Remembrance Commemoation Ceremony. Open daily 9-5pm, it is advised you book your tickets online at nationalww2museum.org, adult tickets cost $29.50.
Cafe du Monde $10
There a couple Kosher delis outside the city in Matairie, but Cafe du Monde is the only place to find Kosher certified fares within NOLA proper. Overseen by Congregation Beth Israel synagogue, Cafe Du Monde had its famous fied beignets ceritifed kosher!
New Orleans Synagogues
Touro Synagogue
The Touro Synagogue moved into this building on St Charles Avenue in 1909. Today, the reform congregation boasts 500 members and still touts its history as one of the first Jewish temples outside the 13 original states. Rabbi Katie Nauman currently serves as Touro's Senior Rabbi. Touro Synagogue hosts Shabbat services weekly and High Holiday services.
Anshe Sfard Synagogue
Originally founded by Hasidic Lithuanian Jews, Anshe Sfard is a Modern Orthodox synagogue in the Uptown part of New Orleans. Built in 1925, this beautiful building has housed the Jewish community for almost a hundred years. Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin has served this congregation since 2016. This small community hosts Shabbat Services every Friday night and Saturday morning.
Temple Sinai Synagogue
The reform congreation of Temple Sinai moved to its current location near Loyola University in the early 1900s. Temple Sinai has served as a staple to the local reform community. Today the congreation boasts the largest community in Louisiana with 700 members lead by Rabbi Daniel M. Sherman. It hosts a variety of programming including weekly Shabbat services.
Chabad of Louisiana
Starting in 1975, Chabad has had a presnese in Louisana based out of New Orleans. Their location in Uptown New Orleans near Tulane and Loyola make them easily accessible for the university communities. Chabad has been able to expand across the state, opening branches in Matairie and Baton Rouge. Rabbi Leibel and Mushka Lipskier host dinners, activities and recreational activities at their Jewish center.
Special Topics ✡️️
The history of Jews in New Orleans, like anywhere, is complicated. From its colonial beginnings, Judaism in New Orleans has taken a unique form based on the city's equally unique culture. Historian Betram Korn described these initial decades by saying "there were Jews in colonial New Orleans, but no Judaism". The most famous Jewish family at the time, the Monsantos, all born Jewish, would even participate in church services as a form of social cohesion. Most of New Orleans residents were indifferent about their religions, including the Jewish residents. The predominance of Catholicism in the city coupled with the diversity and individualism of New Orleans created a city focused more on business and social events rather than religion, distinctive for the time period. This generally relaxed religious culture resulted in wide acceptance of intermarried and non-Jewish spouses, even allowing non-Jewish spouses to be buried in Jewish cemeteries.
As the Jewish community grew in New Orleans, congregations became stricter with their intermarriage rules. But, synagogues throughout the history of New Orleans still showed a relaxation of many common rules like requiring prayer with a Keepah and Tallit. New Orleans' many Reform synagogues show this unique need for a relaxed form of Judaism. New Orleans' Catholic atmosphere also created an especially accepting city for Jews of the South. Although Jews were banned from most social activities, they were allowed to hold public office and build successful businesses in relative safety. We will now explore some of the most impactful Jewish leaders in the NOLA community, including their leadership in the Civil Rights Movement, as well as the Antisemitism that Jews have had to face, especially in Mardi Gras Krewes.
Famous Jewish Figures in NOLA History
Dr. Elizabeth Cohen - First Female Physician in Louisiana
Born in 1820s New York City to a British Jewish immigrant family, Dr. Elizabeth Cohen would go on to become an icon in the medical world and a strong supporter of women's suffrage. When her husband moved to NOLA to study surgery, Elizabeth moved to Philadelphia to attend Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, the first women's medical college in the United States of America. Graduating top of her class, Dr. Cohen moved down to NOLA to join her husband. Dr. Cohen soon began practicing as both a Midwife and General Medicine doctor, becoming famous for her hard work and service to local women and children. This is in spite of it taking 20 years for the government to recognize her as a doctor. Dr. Cohen supported the city of New Orleans through 2 horrible Yellow Fever epidemics and delivered generations of the city's children. Dr. Cohen was also a supporter of the Women's Suffrage movement. In her 1920 interview with the New Orleans Daily Picayune, she says "I’m glad to see the girls of today getting an education. In my youth, you had to fight for it. And I believe in suffrage, too—things will be better when women can vote and can protect their own property and their own children. Even if I am a hundred, I’m for votes for women.” Dr. Cohen would get to live out that promise, as she passed away at age 101 still a strong supporter of women's rights.
Joseph Haspel - Creator of the Seersucker Suit
Joseph Haspel and his brother founded the Haspel Brothers haberdasher store in 1909. Their New Orleans-based store began selling the Seersucker Suit soon after its founding. Seersucker was new to the US and prized for its lightweight fabric in the South's strong heat and humidity. These suits became widely popular among Southern Businessmen and eventually made it up North as well. Seersucker Suits are still popular today among the business elite.
Leon C. Weiss - Popular Architect
Leon was born and raised in Louisiana to an Ashkenazi Jewish family. After attending Tulane University, Leon became an architect designing across both Lousiana and Missippi. Popular works by Leon include the Pontchartrain Hotel, Louisiana State Capitol building, Louisiana Governor's mansion, and the Louisiana State University Baton Rouge campus.
Antisemitism in Mardi Gras Krewes
Jews have been banned from New Orleans twice throughout the history of the city. Despite this, New Orleans Jews were able to succeed as traders and merchants, and society valued them for their economic contributions. Well-off New Orleans Jewish families were able to gain political success, ascending to many positions in state and local government. Jewish people founded and supported many charitable civic organizations throughout the city as well. They were also allowed to join the social clubs and Mardi Kras krewes. Krewes are the social groups that put on the Mardi Gras parades. Mardi Gras krewes are essential to New Orleans culture and life revolving around the annual March celebration of Mardi Gras. The first king of Mardi Gras, Lewis Salomon from Rex krewe, was Jewish!
But as the 19th century progressed, Jews were banned from elite social organizations, the lounges and clubs, and Mardi Gras krewes. Antisemitism was rising around the US and the world, along with Jewish immigration from Eastern Europe. This rising hatefulness meant people no longer wanted Jews associated with their organizations. Gathering places like the Boston Club and Pickwick Club, founded by Jewish men, banned Jews from inside their walls. Jewish young women were not allowed to attend Krewes' Debutante Balls. Krewes faced legal pressure in the 1980s for their discriminatory practices against Black and Jewish people, with some even going underground to avoid allowing minorities into their social club.
As a backlash to this discrimination, Jewish New Orleanians created their own krewes: Krewe du Jieux and Krewe of Meshuggah. These Krewes reclaim antisemitic tropes and use them in their Mardi Gras parades by handing out bagels, dressing as businessmen and bankers, and proclaiming a Jewish world order. This anti-antisemitic style of joke was originated by the New Orleans Krewe of Zulu, one of the first Black krewes that would dress up in their own stereotypes. T
The point is to show the ridiculousness of the stereotypes faced by the community, confronting them and reclaiming them. I recommend this piece by Barbra Barnett on the Krewe du Jieux for further exploration of this topic.
Thank you for reading about my exploration of Jewish New Orleans! Even if you are not Jewish, finding the Jewish sections of cities can provide a new and distinct experience full of history and culture. A special thanks to all the people and sources that taught me so much about the NOLA Jewish community.
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