OP-ED: Federation CEO’s High Holidays message

By ROBERT FRENCH

It’s been a whirlwind seven months. I’ve experienced Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, Red Dress Run – and, yes, I have pictures, taken a boat on the Mississippi, I’m halfway through my first hurricane season, and enjoyed culinary delights (with restrictions). I have enjoyed attending events across the city, meeting so many of you in restaurants, your homes, your offices, at my office, at our places of worship and schools. I have enjoyed true Southern hospitality, outreach and friendship for which I thank you. New Orleans is truly everything I was told it would be and more.

At Federation, we are energized. We are ready. We are excited for 5784 and what’s to come.

With a revamped organizational structure, we now are able to offer increased opportunities for collaboration and engagement. With our incredibly talented staff and highly energetic and motivated volunteer leadership, welcoming and connecting all Jews into an inclusive, meaningful environment is a priority: by looking within, and at our role in the community, reaching out to partners with opportunities to engage, support and enhance Jewish life.

We have developed an Israel strategy – providing an opportunity for those with many questions to engage with us, as well as celebrating Israeli culture, the arts and exploring its history. We have built a Program and Engagement team and are looking at What’s Next? in terms of our interfaith, young adult, and multicultural and governmental affairs outreach – all of which have made great inroads into bringing in the unaffiliated and building bridges in our community. We are looking at how we integrate volunteers into the community at large, developing informed, proud and committed community members.

We are partnering to open doorways to Jewish life and are looking at how we build community in ways that only a Federation can. We are planning to bring the community together with our LEGO marathon, including building the world’s largest LEGO Menorah, and the city of Jerusalem, and educating public school students about wind energy in the Gulf and about Chanukah.

We are revamping our messaging, and plan to launch a new digital strategy early in 2024, sharing our stories and successes. We are continuing to highlight and lead in the importance of security, addressing antisemitism and bigotry that continue to raise their ugly head. We have responded to the Maui fires, judicial reform in Israel, and tornadoes in Mississippi.

We are thrilled with our new board chair, Jonny Lake, and excited for his vision and leadership along with a refreshed board and executive committee. At the crux of it all though is relationships. We are emphasizing and valuing relationship building with newcomers, volunteers, community members, and our partners – looking for different and cutting-edge ways to connect.

On Rosh Hashanah, we hear the sound of the Shofar – our wake-up call to reflect, to change. While mindful we cannot be all things to all people, we at the Federation are listening, we are adapting, and we are re-imagining the Jewish future. I will continue to make myself available and to listen, to collaborate with you, and I encourage you to connect with me and with us.

We are energized. We are ready. We are excited for 5784 and what’s to come. We welcome your continued support and partnership in all that we do.

Shana Tova. And Shalom, y’all.

Robert French is the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans.