Welcome to a new year

Apples and honey suggest a sweet year, while the ram's horn warns of the Day of Judgment

The last few days have involved quite a bit of religious activity and the question of "to blog or not to blog" has been preying on my mind. In the end I deemed it a good idea to let the spirit of 5769 overtake me as I pondered a new year and all that it may bring. The Jewish New Year (or Rosh Hashanah) is different each year on the Gregorian calendar, but it's the same day every year on the Hebrew calendar, 1 Tishri. It may surprise some non-Jews to learn that Tishri is not the first month in the Hebrew calendar, but is the seventh. Rosh Hashanah was designated a special day of observance in the Bible called Yom Teruah ("the day of the blowing of the horn"). Because of certain rules that must be observed, Rosh Hashanah can never fall on a Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. Very few Jews know that. Also, relative to the Gregorian calendar, the earliest it can take place is September 5 and the latest it can occur is October 5. Rosh Hashanah is the first day of the Ten Days of Penitence or, as some refer to them, "The Days of Awe." Jews are admonished to take stock of themselves during this period because the tenth day, Yom Kippur, is literally the Day of Judgment. Certain activities, such as sexual relations, are restricted during this time in the religious observant community as all Jews are asked to turn inward and resist temptations. In my case there have been few temptations lately, so I guess I am being pious in my religious practice. That's my story and I'm sticking with it. Can I get an amen?

Passing into Carnival Season

With the end of September comes the realization that fall is now into full bloom. Fall means the changing of foliage and the preparation for winter-like weather in other areas of the country. The first snows of the season were already dusting the mountaintops in Alaska in advance of fall two weeks ago when I was there. But here in New Orleans fall doesn't really manifest itself until much later when most of the northern and eastern sections of the country are well within the throes of winter. While it may not be obvious as the leaves on the trees, what we do observe is the beginning of the Carnival Season. "Carnival? Isn't that in winter? " I can hear many of inquire. The short answer is yes. Carnival or Mardi Gras always falls in February or March. But the planning for the next year almost always begins immediately after it has passed. The first evidence that Carnival is fast approaching is the coronation ball season, the time that is approaching. This is the time when all of the Carnival krewes begin to announce just who will be in the royal court for the ensuing year. Over the course of the next month or so all of the kings, queens, maids and dukes will be finalized and revealed at lovely events in area hotels. It is a time when the captain of the organization has great fun in making the reveal public to the other members of his or her krewe. Meanwhile, for me it's not quite time to hear the herald calls that announce the arrival of royalty, but to listen instead for the blasts of the shofar that will signify that Rosh Hashanah is here.

Voting Early and Often

The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) is fast approaching and will be here Monday evening at sundown and all day Tuesday. This period is a time of intense introspection and culminates with the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The ten inclusive days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as the Days of Awe and, like the Lenten period for Christians, it is a time of privation and marked by deep prayer. In many ways the election process in New Orleans and throughout the state as we prepare for the presidential election is much the same. A slate of candidates to determine some very important elected officials is ongoing. The First and Second Congressional Districts are up for review by voters. Recent First District winner Steve Scalise (R) is ready to take on a Democratic challenger, either Vinny Mendoza or Jim Harlan. Meanwhile, Second District incumbent William Jefferson (D), under indictment along with a number of family members, hopes to remain in office despite an overcrowded field of challengers including New Orleans City Councilman James Carter; state legislators Cedric Richmond, Byron Lee and Troy Carter; and former newscaster Helena Morena. Also to be determined is the new New Orleans District Attorney. There is no incumbent in that race due to the resignation of Eddie Jordan some months ago. Jordan's interim successor, Keva Landrum-Johnson, held on long enough to secure a judgeship and then also resigned. She has been replaced by Robert Freeman, who will give up his interim post when the new D.A. is selected. Choices range from former assistant district attorneys Ralph Capitelli and Linda Bizarro to Judge Leon Canizarro. Voters, like their Jewish counterparts, are thus undergoing a period of deep introspection and asking forgiveness from the Almighty as they prepare to cast their ballots next week. We are all hoping that the new choices made at the polls will not reflect badly on us and that we will enjoy an upcoming year of promise and renewal. I took the opportunity to vote early today at City Hall, deciding several judgeships and my Democratic choice for Congressman. It was fairly easy and took less than 10 minutes. These primary choices will decide who will be on the ballot when the final selections are made on the first Tuesday in November. The days will be crucial as Louisiana joins the nation is deciding who will lead our nation over the course of the next four years.

Master Debater?

So, who won tonight's debate? I would love to hear from you all with your thoughts about who made the best points, countered best and who you feel emerged as a clear choice. But I don't believe that happened. Both candidates are very well prepared and the process ensures that there is very little unscripted material that can slip through. Both of the distinguished Senators have been steeled in the Senate, a proving grounds for debaters of the highest magnitude. They are both very good or else would not have achieved the nomination of their respective parties. There is little chance that McCain or Obama would make an utterance like President Ford did in the second of his three debates with then-Governor Carter about "no domination of Eastern Europe" by the Soviet Union. If anything, the debate seemed short on foreign policy discussion, which is what its focus was intended to be. It wasn't until the issue of the Iraq war was raised-- some 37 minutes into the event -- that foreign policy truly began to be discussed. But for the voting public to have the two candidates face off is, as Martha Stewart says, a good thing. In just 40 days one of these two men will become the man entrusted with the seat of our government. The more information we have as voters, the better off we all are. I think we are headed into more debates with the same results on the presidential side. When it comes to the one vice-presidential debate, however, I am somewhat skeptical that Sarah Palin will be able to hold her own with Joe Biden, who has a reputation as a bulldog in the Senate. The risk that Biden has, of course, is that if he is seen as attacking Palin too severely, he might risk the wrath of voters who feel he was too harsh on the lady. However, if he doesn't pounce on her for her inexperience in government, he may risk losing face and could lose points. It's truly a no-win situation for Biden, who has to walk on eggshells in order not to make a faux pas. It should be interesting to say the least. For those of you who are interested, let me know your feelings in the poll being conducted at right for the next few days.

New Orleans arts scene thrives

The last week has been a hurly-burly rush of all things cultural in New Orleans. In many cases I barely had enough time to catch my breath running about my regular business and then dashing to a nightime event. On reflection much of what I saw and heard left me breathless. First of all there was Beethoven and Brahms. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the nation's only self-run and self-sustaining symphony orchestra (still not back in its home facilities since Hurricane Katrina), opened its 18th season with the first of the nine Beethoven symphonies (to be presented in order throughout the year) along with a spectacular Brahms Piano Concert 2 played with renowned pianist Jorge Federico Osorio. I knew it was going to be a special night when a closed curtain greeted the crowd at Loyola University's Roussel Hall. At performance time the curtain parted and members of the percussion section began drumming the opening section of John Corigliano's "Promenade Overture." The short piece introduces the various instruments and sections of the orchestra one at a time. As each player is introduced, they take their place on stage and continuing playing. It was inspired by Haydn's "Farewell Symphony" in which performers leave the stage one by one or in sections until no one is left. What a delightful way to open a season. It was refreshing and somewhat hip for a classical music event and, no doubt, the choice of energetic music director and principal conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto. The next night across town the Jefferson Performing Arts Society, a small but dedicated arts organization now in its 31st year of continuous operation, presented the first of two performances of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly." It was a spectacular production starring Hiroko Morita as Cio-Cio San in the title role. Not only was Morita incredibly beautiful, but being a native born Nipponese who was classically trained in both her native country and Puccini's native country of Italy, prepared her for a magnificently turned-in role. Artistic director and maestro Dennis Assaf lorded over the music and it filled the small auditorium with the sweet sounds of tragedy. I was astonished at how good the production values were. Sunday night it was time for the special last show of a Hurricane Gustav shortened run for cabaret singer Amy Alavarez and pianist Jefferson Turner in "He Loves and She Loves: The Gershwin Music We Love" at Cabaret Le Chat Noir. All of the Gershwin favorites and a few that are not as well-known, but nonetheless, beautiful were presented. From "Fascinating Rhythm" to "I Got Rhythm" to "The Man I love" and "Our Love Is Here to Stay," Alvarez and Turner's program had it all. The show ran a little over an hour, but during that time I was magically transported back to an era that oozed sophistication and charm. Alvarez's sweet register and Turner's masterful playing made it one of the best cabaret shows I've seen this year and a contender for the new Best Cabaret Performance category at the Big Easy Theatre Awards for 2008.

Winds of change

From looking at the pictures that have come in from Galveston, I have become very empathetic to what those Texans are going through as they prepare to enter the island for the first time in two weeks. Ike's path of destruction was a huge column of storm surge that flattened almost everything in its path. As a victim of the flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina, I am grateful that I did not suffer the kind of damage they have sustained. I lost a lot, but at least I had a home to which I could eventually return. The residents of Galveston have little more than rubble awaiting their return. Besides, in the case of Katrina the flooding was manmade and, therefore, not strictly a natural disaster like Hurricane Ike. The people of Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes reeling from Gustav also were hit by Ike's storm surges, but they are resilient and are busy making plans to come back stronger than ever. On my way back home from the recent evacuation from Hurricane Gustav, I thought I would get off the I-59 and check out if Middendorf's Restaurant was open. Middendorf's is a well-known restaurant that has been open in Pass Manchac for over 70 years. Sadly, the restaurant was closed during the evacuation, so I got back on the interstate and drove home figuring I would be back sometime in the near future. The next day I packed for the trip to Alaska and was onboard the M/S Volendam a few days later when Hurricane Ike's storm surge pushed storm surge onto the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain and, unfortunately, inundated Pass Manchac. Middendorf's was so badly flooded that its owners have decided to tear it down, another legendary Louisiana victim of a hurricane. It's a shame, but I hope they will resolve to rebuild.

Speaking of legends: Cynthia Dettelbach, the legendary editor of the Cleveland Jewish News and Rob Certner, the CEO of the newspaper, both announced their retirement from their positions this past Friday (link to article). "Cindy," as many of her staffers know her, has been the editor of the paper for the past 28 years and has worked there for the past 30 years. Rob has put in almost 11 years of dedicated service to the paper as the CEO and I owe both him and Cindy my heartfelt thanks for allowing me the opportunity to write for the paper as as staff reporter as well as to handle a host of computer support work as the web producer and IT adviser. Michael Bennett, the present publisher of the Cleveland Jewish News, will assume the additional title of editor next year, when Cindy departs the paper for good. Bennett, who came to the CJN after working with the Cleveland JCC and the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, logged a number of years as a reporter with the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He was named as publisher about 15 months ago. No news on Rob Certner's plans, but I am certain he will be doing something important after he leaves the paper. He was the finance director of the City of Cleveland Heights for many 12 years before assuming his original position of general manager of the CJN in 1998. A few years back his role at the paper was updated to a business model in which he served as CEO and Cindy took on the position of executive vice-president. He recently served a one-year term as president of the American Jewish Press Association. I wish both Cindy and Rob the very best of success in their future endeavors and wish good luck to Bennett in his new duties.

Leaving that dam ship

Alaskan mountain majesty

My last view of an Alaskan glacier from the Alaska Railroad train

September 14 and 15

The last morning on the M/S Volemdam (that dam ship!) was literally only a few hours. Bags had to be in the hallway by midnight, which meant that whatever clothes one intended to wear the final day(s) had to be carried by hand or put out in advance. The night was rainy and dreary. It was if Alaska was crying that I would be leaving her behind soon. A final breakfast line for early departing passengers was opened at 5:00 a.m., but by the time I got through the very long line, I had all of ten minutes to down the food. We docked in Seward, Alaska at 6:00 a.m. and in just a few moments I boarded a car of the historic Alaska Railroad. Originally begun as a private concern, the Alaska Railroad was taken over in 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson and completed by President Warren G. Harding in 1923 at a total cost of $60 million. The first leg of the train runs between Seward and Alaska's largest city, Anchorage, a journey of 114 miles. The remainder of service continues another 356 miles to Fairbanks. And what a train. The cars are constructed out of large plexiglass that afford unparalleled views of the Alaskan countryside. While we didn't see any moose, we did spy some mountain goats and eagles along the way. The Alaska Railroad is run along a single track over formidable ground. Each five-mile section of track is cleared for forward progress. If another train is approaching, one gets the right of way and the other pulls off onto a side track until it receives clearance. Each car has its own food service and drink area, while a club car allows for other amenities like espresso, cappachino and smoothies either with or without alcohol. The service was excellent and the four and a half hour trip was most enjoyable. Over the course of the short morning trip the scenery that was viewed was absolutely incredible. We arrived in Anchorage at 11:30 a.m. and were whisked to the Sheraton Anchorage, which served as a courtesy area for all disembarking passengers from the Volendam who were heading off to the airport. The luggage from the ship was already at the hotel, having been trucked from the ship. It was time to check out the sights of Anchorage.

Anchorage Trolley

A city trolley tour of Anchorage cost only $15.00 and lasted nearly an hour. The tour went to the airport near the center of town that boasts the largest number of private aircraft on a per capita basis. According to the tour conductor, one in 26 people in Alaska have pilot's licenses. Near the end of the tour, I elected to hop off and check out the Anchorage Art Museum. There was supposed to be an admittance fee, but as I approached the front door, I was surprised to learn that it was Hispanic Americans Appreciation Day and no fee was required. To which I replied, "Muchas gracias!" The museum had a wonderful collection on Alaska native life and a special exhibit on the Iditerod, the famous dog sled race. Several pieces of art were featured and it was the only way I was able to "see" Mount McKinley in Anchorage (not visible due to low clouds):

An oil featuring Mt. McKinley
An oil painting of Mt. McKinley

I dined at Orso Restaurant in downtown Anchorage, the site of the most powerful earthquake in the nation's history in 1964. Since those 44 years, the city has rebounded and proved to be quite resilient. By the time that evening fell, it was time to get to the airport with luggage in tow. My flight started in Anchorage at 9:22 and was due to fly all night to Dallas, three hours ahead of Alaska time. With just 15 minutes between flights from landing in Dallas to boarding a plane headed to New Orleans, it was 9:00 a.m. when I was back in a post-Ike and post-Gustav environment. It all looked the same, but I knew that wasn't the case. Parts of Mandeville and several sections of Lafourche and Terrebonne Parishes hit hard by Gustav were revisited with floodwaters during Ike's close passage. Alaska seemed a world away and indeed it was.