Melton Adult Mini-School for a mini adult

Melton graduates sing for their diplomas at graduation on June 11

I am a graduate! For the sixth time in New Orleans, a class of the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School has graduated and each person received a degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (as in Israel) to prove it. The process began almost two years ago following my return to the city from Cleveland and my attending a "Melton minute" intended to give interested potential students insight into what the courses are like. The short course was led by Rabbi Martha Bergadine, who has since moved with her husband (also a rabbi) to Hong Kong. Two other teachers of my first year courses, Rabbis Julie Kozlow and Miriam Lichtenfeld, also departed for other posts in South Carolina and New York, but they made great impressions on me as teachers while they were here last year. Also, both last year and this, my own synagogue's Rabbi Uri Topolosky taught the first hour for my Melton classes. The beautiful aspect of the Melton coursework is that it is neither Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, Secular or whatever bent one ascribes to Jewish philosophical thinking. It is all of these leanings and more with references gleaned from the Torah, the Talmud, and from eminent Jewish thinkers from the past several thousand years. Many of the issues we tackled dealt with morals and ethics and covered such controversial topics as abortion and euthanasia in addition to the seemingly mundane (but very important) Shabbat worship and kosher observance. So, after nearly two years of weekly classes, am I a better Jew? Most definitely! A friend of mine and I saw each other this past week at a friend's funeral. It turns out he was confronting the subject of death in his Melton class a few months ago. Both of us understood deeper meanings and had a shared experience despite the fact that he lives in Salt Lake City and we hadn't seen each other in over a decade. Yes, the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School will be something I will always treasure and I look forward to even more graduate-level courses in future years and, perhaps, a trip to Israel designed by Hebrew University of Jersualem to put the final frosting on the cake.

Boy Scout Camp Blues

2009 Troop 48 contingent to Camp V-Bar

Last Sunday I packed up my S.U.V. and headed off to beautiful, hot and humid Camp V-Bar at the Salmen Scout Reservation. For those who were once Boy Scouts or had kids who were, the importance of Scout camp can not be understated. It is the only way for several Merit Badges like Environmental Science, Swimming and Camping to be earned, while affording Scouts an opportunity to do extended camping in a safe, protected environment. There is no greater responsibility for an adult leader as to when he or she is placed in charge of a troop of Scouts far away from telephones and television. Keeping the Scouts inspired to work on advancement and to enjoy time away from family and friends is hard work, but in the end so worthwhile. The task of a Scoutmaster is lessened by the support he or she enjoys from other Scouters (adult leaders), who take time off from work to share the workload. Frankly, it is tough work. Imagine, though, what it would be like with only one person having to do it all. That is why I was there: to lend a hand and to make the Scouts know they could count on me as well. In the process of walking back and forth from one venue to another I went up and down hills and along dirt trails and unpaved roads. The shoes I wore, which were walking shoes, apparently did not absorb much of the impact. I spent some time at the infirmary dealing with the fallout from the trauma to my feet, which eventually cost me my toenail on the second toe of my right foot and a portion of the same toe on my left foot due to infection. I am moving a bit more slowly today, but the knowledge that I gave a portion of myself (literally) in order to help the Scouts from my troop improve themselves and advance in rank is quite comforting. And besides...the doctor says my toenails will grow back six months from now. That means I'll be ready for another Scouting adventure next summer.

The Obama Way

Fresh off his historic appeal to the Muslim world from Egypt, President Barack Hussein Obama made his way to Germany to address the horrors of the Holocaust. He journeyed today to Buchenwald, the final resting place of tens of thousands of Jews including among them a young teenager in the final days of the war who went on to speak on behalf of all of the victims of the Shoah. That man is Elie Wiesel and he accompanied the president today. It was a trip that was historic on a number of fronts, but following yesterday's outreach to Arab and Palestinian intersts that angered a number of Israelis, it was, perhaps, necessary to set the record straight that this president decries inhumane treatment and genocide. Calling Holocaust denial statements as "ignorant, baseless and hateful," President Obama made sure to visit the concentration camp that his Uncle Charles Payne had helped liberate 64 years ago as a young U.S. soldier. Payne will join in services in Normandy commemorating the 65th aniversary of D-Day tomorrow. However, the memories of what he saw still so haunt his psyche that he could not make that trip, despite urging from his famous nephew. "It is understandable that someone who had witnessed what had taken place here would be in a state of shock," said Obama. German president Ana Merkel and Obama placed white roses at several places at Buchenwald, symbols of German resistance to the Nazis. While largely symbolic, the visit does say a lot about the President's commitment to the Jewish people. Like what he may say to the Muslim world or not, Jews must know that the ties between the United States and Israel is, in Obama's own word "unbreakable." It may not make everyone in the Jewish world love him, but it will go a long way to making them understand that his administration will be even-handed in how they approach solutions towards peace in the Middle East.

When Isaiah Met Nola

Isaiah Funds president Jeffery Dekro applauds as he receive a $225,000 check from the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation. This follows a half-million check from Isaiah Funds to Gulf Coast Housing Partners.

About a year ago I had the opportunity to meet representatives of an unusual group, a consortium of interfaith-based groups devoted to helping meet the needs of the ongoing recovery effort in New Orleans's Central City area. Isaiah Funds is composed of disparate philanthropic groups like Jews for Justice, CHRISTUS Health and MMA (an investing arm of the Mennonite Church). The Isaiah Funds managers are determined to provide millions of dollars in loans to needy areas such as Central City. The rebuilding effort in Central City began at least a decade ago. Yes, this was prior to the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. If it might be said that any one area benefited from the fallout of the flooding, Central City could well be considered. No amount of flooding could have washed away the sins of the city fathers who had allowed it to dilapidate into such a crime-riddled, depressed area before 2005. If anything, the loss of property in the area to the flooding helped clear the way for a new possibility in the area. To be sure, it is still a high crime area, but with the loss of the C. J. Peete and St. Thomas Housing Projects, many of the denizens of violent crime have been relocated. Some never returned from evacuated cities like Houston. According to the city's master plan, these areas in Central City are due to become multiple mixed housing units, some owner-owned, which should bring about pride and stability in a large city region that has had little of each. Monday brought about the first anniversary of the launch of the Isaiah Funds and as many as 60 strategic partners whose faith-based missions have become allies met in New Orleans at Loyola University to tour the city and see real measured progress. They toured several areas in transition, many of which are still devastated from the effects of the post-Katrina flooding. Then, they toured the area of Central City bordering on the former Dryades Street, now renamed Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. Dryades Street was known decades ago as "the second Canal Street," a retail area that was largely composed of Jewish merchants, many of whom served a significant area there that was largely Jewish. After World War II, the area began to fall on hard times and by the 1970's was largely in need of urban renewal. Many African-Americans did their shopping for bargains on Dryades Street in an era that was devoid of Wal-Marts and K-Marts. Many African-American merchants began their careers on what is now Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, but so many of the storefronts still remain vacant. An exception is the Ashé Cultural Center, constructed on the site of the former Venus Gardens grocery store. Participants gathered there before breaking up into two groups and embarking on a close-up tour of the area. They then reconvened at Cafe Reconcilé, a training ground for chefs and wait staff for the service industry. The delegates dined on broiled chicken, sweet potatoes, collard greens, and famous New Orleans red beans and rice (side order of sausage were also available. Following desert of their James Beard Award winning Bananas Foster bread pudding, everyone applauded as a check for $500,000 was presented to Gulf Coast Housing Partners, one of the major developers in Central City, by the Isaiah Funds executives there, chief among them Jeffery Dekro, who also serves as the executive vice-president of Jewish Funds for Justice. The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation came up with their own check to Isaiah Funds in the amount of $225,000. These funds will certainly fuel the economic recovery machine that is just now gearing up into full steam with several projects that will completed by year's end like phase one of The Muses, a mixed income housing complex. Progress is slow, but it is coming.

New Hurricane Season and the loss of Angus

Today marks the opening day of the 2009 Hurricane Season. Just four years ago I was sitting here in New Orleans preparing for a summer that was full of adventure with little thought that a Category 4 or 5 storm might ravage the city and lead to the catastrophic failure of the levee system that protects the city from various drainage canals. I had my own misguided sense of safety, foolishly thinking that nothing could lead to the city of my birth being flooded by as much as 80% with waters as high as 15 feet or more. Hurricane Katrina changed all of that, even though I was already out of town when it chose to bear down on New Orleans, a fact that still makes me reel in disbelief. Had I been here, I probably would have saved more of my "stuff," but I would probably have lost my car. I'm sure I would never have been able to rebound so well and gain a position at the Cleveland Jewish News while taking refuge in that city. My being there already garnered me a first place position in line for assistance and, given that so few people came up to Cleveland to seek assistance, I made out very well. Nevertheless, I became a productive member of the city, paying local and state taxes while working over a year and a half there. It took almost two years for me to return, but I have now been back in New Orleans longer than my entire stay in Cleveland which lasted over two winters there. So, every June 1 brings a wake-up call to me and my fellow citizens. It's time to get prepared to meet any challenges head on and remember the not-so-distant past. Any day during hurricane season without a storm is a good day.

Meanwhile, my favorite Times-Picayune columnist, Angus Lind, has retired. Ever since I began my journalism career, I have written humor columns. In high school it was "With Pen in Hand and Foot in Mouth." I wrote "Quotations from Chairman Smason" during my stint at the Tulane Hullabaloo. This blog is intended to be a variant of a humor column, although not as many articles have been as funny as I would have liked. Nevertheless, it was with sadness that I learned yesterday that Angus, who had been writing since the 1970's, was calling it quits and penned his last column yesterday, a reflective look back at his 6,000 columns written over four decades. Angus always had my dream job in journalism: writing a humor column three or four times a week. I will admit that I could have deluded myself into believing I was in his category of writer. I can tell you I am not. His was a gift that was born from hard work and dedication and I will truly miss his wonderful and wacky way of relating everything from the crazy and kooky characters of N'Awlins (Allen "Black Cat" Lacombe and Ruthy the Duck Girl) to dealing with local sports legends (Buddy D. and others). His job is gone and will not be replaced, due to the current state of the newspaper industry, which is making fewer do more with less. Nevertheless, Angus wrote from the heart and his heart was mighty big. It still is. His plans call for him to continue writing, so perhaps I will follow a new blog or other similar endeavor soon enough. This is still a daring time for the newspaper industry with so many challenges that a number of people are opting out of work and grabbing attractive retirement packages while the getting is good. It may soon be that newspapers may fire employees and offer no exit packages. So, all of my best to Angus and his family. I trust he will do well. So sad that my dream job has now become a nightmare. Anybody out there looking, let me know. Should I hold up a sign: "WILL WORK FOR 401.K"?

The Ten Very Strong Suggestions?

Well, for those who are members of the Jewish faith, the holiday of Shavuot (respectively pronounced as Shu-VOO-oht or Shu-VOO-ohs, in the Sephardic and Ashkenazi tongues) was held on Friday and today. In Israel, like many holidays held in the Holy Land, only one day is used to recall the date. The holiday commemorates the giving of the Law or what most scholars think of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. This is the day that Jewish scholars state the Jewish people was formed as a nation. It's interesting because already they had been an enslaved people in Egypt and had fled during the period of the Exodus. Torah is used to describe all of the learning in the Jewish universe, but is most often used to describe the Chumash (Chuh-MISH), the Torah scroll that contains the Five Books of Moses. The cornerstone of the Hebrew Bible began with the Ten Commandments, but it would seem that many of those who view them would prefer they not be nearly so strict. My title to today's blog may seem silly, but it is true that many of us are guilty of ignoring or not complying fully with the letter and spirit of these laws. Okay, so not many of us are guilty of murdering on a daily basis, but many of our brave soldiers in the field must do so in order to stay alive. We may not be committing adultery by looking at magazines or viewing so-called adult sites, but it is a very fine line between lusting for an attractive sexual partner and actually committing the act. Most men see viewing porn as harmless. Most women don't agree, noting that much of what is out there is demeaning to women. Women draw the line especially when it comes to chat rooms where boyfriends and husbands have been known to openly lie to those they meet online. Men are a more visually attractable species than women. They need visual cues in order to be stimulated. Women are more complex and respond to other stimuli. But the differences are enough that even Bill Clinton could claim that sexual intercourse could only be defined by one specific act of coitus and definitely not one involving a cigar! Of course, the Ten Commandments prohibit adultery, which specifically prohibits sexual contact outside of a marriage, not procreation. On another front, how many of us are guilty of stealing? When you downloaded that picture from the Internet the other day, weren't you guilty of stealing someone else's proprietary work? The fact is most of us steal with computers without knowing it. The very basic way that browsers like Internet Explorer or Firefox work is to keep temporary Internet files in folders that periodically need to be deleted. So without intending to steal images, your computer is doing so every day. Bearing false witness is a specific crime that needs to be witnessed, but many of us are guilty of the sin of Loshon Hora or gossip mongering about adversaries or even about friends and family. Shouldn't we be considerate of those whose reputation we besmirch without any hesitation? Many of us try to honor our parents, but do we do everything we should and maintain the kind of reverence we should in light of their diminishing years? Probably not. As to Sabbath worship, how many of us skip services of whatever religious background, opting to make the day of rest a day of watching football or baseball? I know I'm guilty of many of these and I hope that I may get myself straightened out in time before the Judgment Day, whenever that may be. I take little solace in knowing that I am hardly alone.

The Internet disappears

It took nearly 12 hours for AT&T to restore my Internet today, a fact which boggles my mind. Yet, even more frightening than the time that it took to reconnect me to the outside world, is the notion made abundantly clear to me that the Internet has become more essential to me than even air conditioning. Anyone who has endured a hot humid summer day in New Orleans knows full well the breadth and import of my previous statement. Air conditioning is not something we throw away lightly here. It is practically a required part of living well in the Big Easy and coping without it is seen as something people do begrudgingly as in the case of the indigent or those forced to live on a fixed income. I am neither, yet I now recognize the essential nature of the Internet and its impact on my life and business. I can no longer perform work without e-mails or access to the Information Superhighway. I cannot blog, cannot Twitter, cannot see Facebook, cannot update my websites or find out anything of substance without my connection to the world wide web. And let us not be mistaken: I need to access the Internet with all due speed via fast access, unimpeded in my progress as I seek out current updated information. I would sooner schvitz (sweat) and feel the oppressive heat and humidity rather than give up my multiple wireless and wired connections. Trust me. I am hooked. I don't believe there is a 12-step program for this particular addiction, but perhaps admitting the problem is the first step in the process. All I know is that I need a plan B. I now recognize I can't go without Internet access any longer than a few hours or I risk very real consequences in my life. Hey buddy, can you spare me a line?