Archived News

October 12, 2023

Don’t turn away: Reflections on the war against Hamas terrorism

ZAKA volunteers at Kibbutz Be’eri identifying the bodies of Israelis slain by Hamas terrorists, Oct. 11, 2023. Credit: ZAKA. By Richard Friedman Editor’s Note: Southern Jewish Life associate editor Richard Friedman was executive director of the Birmingham Jewish Federation for 37 years. During his tenure, […]
October 12, 2023

B’ham Islamic Society issues Gaza statement, ignores Hamas terrorism

An interfaith March 2017 rally at the Birmingham Islamic Society following emailed threats. SJL file. On Oct. 11, the Birmingham Islamic Society issued a statement about the current war in Gaza, expressing concern for those in Gaza, but not mentioning the Hamas incursion into Israel […]
October 11, 2023

Educator with project assisted by Ala. philanthropy murdered by Hamas with her family

The Kutz family. Photo courtesy Hapoel Shlomo Tel Aviv. A family with a philanthropic tie to Alabama was murdered in the initial wave of the Hamas invasion on Saturday. Rabbi Shmuel Bowman of Operation Lifeshield told the Birmingham Jewish Federation that Livnat Katz, husband Aviv, […]
October 11, 2023

Five fallen for Rosh Ha’Ayin, partner community to B’ham, Nola

Peleg Salem Though Rosh Ha’Ayin is not in the immediate zone of fighting, the city has already felt the war’s effects, announcing six deaths thus far. Rosh Ha’Ayin is Birmingham’s sister city in Israel, and the Partnership2Gether city for the New Orleans Jewish community. Numerous […]
October 11, 2023

Reflections on the Hamas Attack: Returning to a Changed Israel

By Arieh O’Sullivan Editor’s Note: Arieh O’Sullivan is an award-winning journalist in Israel. He grew up in Mississippi and Louisiana, where his father was police chief of Ocean Springs, Miss., and Jennings, La. After his father was wounded in the New Orleans Howard Johnson sniper […]
October 10, 2023

Large crowd attends community Israel gathering in New Orleans

Organizers of the New Orleans Stands With Israel community gathering on Oct. 9 had printed 400 handouts. It turned out to be nowhere near enough. About 10 minutes after the scheduled 7 p.m. start, Rabbi David Gerber referenced Jewish Standard Time, and said there were […]
October 10, 2023

Alabama flags at half-staff for victims of Hamas terror in Israel

In Tuscaloosa, Mayor Walt Maddox had city buildings lit in blue in solidarity with Israel. Throughout Alabama, flags are at half-staff this week “in honor and remembrance of the lives lost in Israel at the hands of Hamas terrorists on Saturday, October 7th, 2023, which […]
October 9, 2023

Fielkow: Time to come together and denounce evil

By Arnie Fielkow Today the Jewish world, both here in New Orleans and around the globe, wakes up to a very different reality than what was faced just a mere 48 hours ago. As of this writing, more than 700 Israelis have died, more than […]
October 4, 2023

Want a Nobel? Jewish scientist’s historic prize available in New Orleans

The beginning of October marks Nobel Prize season, as the year’s winners are announced in Oslo. For those who haven’t been named this year, there is now a rare opportunity to get a Nobel Prize, at M.S. Rau in New Orleans. The high-end antiques and […]