Rabbi Uri Topolosky affixes a mezuzah to the doorpost of the new Beth israel synagogue on August 26, 2012. (Photo by Alan Smason)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The entire process came to fruition over the course of the last two and a half years as Beth Israel hired architects, went over plans, got Jefferson Parish approval and, with the help of Goliath Contractors, erected a new building to house a new sanctuary, social hall, kitchen and administrative offices next to Gates of Prayer at 4004 West Esplanade Avenue.<\/p>\n
Topolosky came to Beth Israel from New York’s Hebrew Institute of Riverdale (HIR), where he was an associate rabbi. Previously he was ordained from the next door Yeshivat Chovevei Torah by dean, founder and mentor Avraham \u201cAvi\u201d Weiss, who is the senior rabbi at HIR. Weiss asked Topolosky to become an associate rabbi there following his ordination in 2005. Weiss has visited Beth Israel twice, the first time to install Topolosky as the new rabbi in 2007 and, more recently, to celebrate the dedication weekend for the new sanctuary there at the end of August, 2012.<\/p>\n
Topolosky, who grew up in Sharon, MA, and Silver Spring, MD, studied in Israel at a yeshiva there for two years prior to college. Following his return to the United States, he continued his studies at the University of Maryland. There he became president of an Orthodox student union group, learning one of his most valuable lessons of reaching across all layers of the Jewish spectrum in an inclusive and inviting fashion. Topolosky graduated\u00a0 with cum laude honors and a bachelor\u2019s degree before enrolling at YCT.<\/p>\n
His rebbetzin, Dahlia, and he were most impressed when they came to tour New Orleans in February of 2007 and inspected the site of the devastated Beth Israel synagogue on Canal Boulevard. It was there they read the inscription in large Hebrew letters above the front doors: “Build me a sanctuary and I shall dwell in your midst (Exodus 25:8).” That same inscription had been on their wedding invitations. The Topoloskys took it as a sign.<\/p>\n
“From the first day that Dahlia and I stood in front of the old shul on Canal Blvd, we knew that this\u00a0shidduch<\/em>\u00a0was\u00a0beshert<\/em>. We were meant to be here. We continue to believe that we are amongst the lucky few to experience a sense of calling in life and we have never taken that for granted. We have been blessed to work in an inspiring environment – in a big city that you can still wrap your arms around; in a town that knows how to get up when it\u2019s down; in a community that leans on each other and has learned the power of collaboration; and in a shul which has understood that mighty waters could not extinguish its love. Today our hearts are broken because we understand how special this place is and we will miss it, and all of you, dearly,” he continued in his letter.<\/p>\nAlthough Topolosky wrote he was proud of all of his accomplishments over the course of the past several years, he cautioned the membership that much still needs to be done to fully recover. He noted that much needs to be done to develop the long term leadership of the synagogue and pointed to bolstering the Community Day School more fully, \u00a0re-instituting a daily minyan and establishing a community mikvah as projects that must still be done.<\/p>\n
Topolosky, who was also instrumental in getting kosher certification for Caf\u00e9 du Monde’s restaurants worldwide through Louisiana Kashrut, also jokingly mentioned in his letter that “kosher” beignets must also be continued through this transition.<\/p>\n
Although they were accustomed to a large Jewish community, both the Topoloskys were impressed with the spirit and resolve of the Jewish community of New Orleans. \u201cWe really wanted to go to a much smaller Jewish community where together we could make a difference,\u201d the rabbi was quoted at the time of his arrival. \u201cIn fact it was inspiring to see such people who, after such loss and destruction, could have so much hope and passion to rebuild. I was really moved,\u201d his wife acknowledged.<\/p>\n
Coming to New Orleans with two boys, the Topolosky family will be leaving as a family of six, having given birth to two daughters in the past five years.<\/p>\n
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