This week marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina on the secular calendar. 20 years is almost a generation. To use an apropos cliché, much water has flowed under the bridge since then. As I think about it vis-à-vis my own family, our daughter, Chana, who was a baby during Katrina, started her first full-time teaching job this month at Slater Torah Academy.
Katrina was literally a watershed moment for our region. The intensity of loss of life, property, tranquility, and life as we knew it, is immeasurable. There is still much to accomplish, even 20 years later. There are some major structures in our city that remain untouched. On the other hand, there were many significant changes that must be regarded as positive. Much will be written from every possible perspective this week about Katrina at 20. I would like to share a few thoughts of my own.
Please see here for my reflections at 5, 8, and 10 years.
https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=19074&p=1
https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=39869&p=1
https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=55962&p=1
https://www.chabadneworleans.com/templates/blog/post.asp?aid=1203266&PostID=56060&p=1
The national response to Hurricane Katrina, created the template for disaster response in the USA. In particular, the American Jewish community came into its own in responding to an unprecedented disaster on American shores. We were used to helping Israel, the poor in Eastern Europe, and other underserved communities. The idea that people with good jobs, homes, and a nice American life would suddenly need assistance, was quite foreign. The notion that an American Jewish community would have to be rescued financially for it to survive (and ultimately thrive), was unheard of. Yet, our brothers and sisters came through in a big way. Many millions were raised by the Jewish Federation system, Chabad, AJC, OU, URJ, and USCJ, just to name a few. This lifeline allowed us on the ground to help people directly, and then it enabled us to rebound as a community.
As for our New Orleans Jewish community, we became a real community through Hurricane Katrina. The need to collaborate and rely on each other for survival and recovery truly kneaded us together. Under the leadership of Federation, we learned how to become a cohesive Kehillah. I want to highlight the role of the late Alan Bissinger, may his memory be for a blessing, along with all of those who are still with us, may they be blessed with long healthy life. This cohesiveness remains with us despite our recovery and development into a thriving Jewish community. That is a testament to the lessons learned and to the people who are willing to learn from them.
On a personal note, one of the things I reflect on, is what I discovered about life whilst engaged in the rescue, relief, and recovery efforts. When one is focused on helping others during times of challenge, it diminishes one’s own wallowing in self-pity due to that challenge. I thanked G-d very often throughout the post-Katrina era, that I was blessed with communal responsibilities during those challenging times. We were so busy working towards the betterment of others that we simply didn’t have time or head space to indulge in the negativity that could be so crippling. This is an idea that can be applied in many areas of life.
May Hashem bless us to not need to respond to disasters. May we all be blessed with an upcoming year of tranquility, filled with prosperity, good health, and meaningful spiritual growth. May Hashem bless His nation and the whole world with Shalom!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Mendel Rivkin