2025 North American Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism

On behalf of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and our Board Chair, Melinda Mintz, it is an honor to welcome you to our city and to this year’s Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism. We are grateful to each of you. For showing up, for leading from the front, and for recognizing that the fight against hatred is one we undertake together.

I want to start by grounding us in the story of this city and its Jewish community—a story that now spans more than 300 years.

The first documented Jew to settle in New Orleans, Isaac Monsanto, arrived here in 1724. From that point forward, Jewish New Orleanians have woven themselves into the civic, cultural, and economic fabric of this city. Ours is one of the oldest Jewish communities in the United States, shaped not by isolation, but by engagement with our neighbors and a deep sense of belonging to New Orleans. That legacy continued to grow through the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1852, Jewish philanthropy helped establish Touro Infirmary, which remains one of the oldest continuously operating hospitals in the nation. It was founded with the principle that all people—Jewish and non-Jewish—deserve compassionate care. That ethic of service became a defining thread of Jewish New Orleans.

A few decades later, Jewish generosity again helped shape the city’s educational landscape. The family of philanthropist Edgar B. Stern played a pivotal role in the founding of Dillard University—today the oldest historically Black university in Louisiana. This partnership between the Jewish community and Black institutions is a through-line that continues to this day.

By the mid-20th century, Jewish New Orleanians were also helping lead critical conversations about race and democracy.

In 1949, Temple Sinai hosted the first major integrated public meeting in New Orleans, when Rabbi Julian Feibelman invited United Nations Ambassador Ralph Bunche—the first African American to win the Nobel Peace Prize—to speak to a racially mixed audience. It was a milestone moment for our city, and one that took courage to make possible.

And courage has remained a hallmark of our community. One of the most powerful figures in our more recent history is Anne Levy, a Holocaust survivor who, in 1991, confronted white supremacist David Duke on the steps of the Louisiana Capitol. Anne’s insistence on truth in the face of denial still inspires us—especially today, when antisemitism again seeks to rewrite history and sow division – and we are lucky to still count Anne among our most valued community members.

The Jewish Federation entered this story in 1913, when local Jewish leaders created a centralized institution to support Jewish life and strengthen the broader community. Our mission is simple and enduring: to safeguard Jewish well-being, strengthen Jewish identity, support our institutions, and build bridges with the wider community. We raise funds to support education, culture, social services, security, and humanitarian work here at home and around the world. And we serve as a convener—in moments of celebration, moments of uncertainty, and moments of crisis.

We are part of a national network of nearly 150 Jewish Federations across North America. If you are a mayor and you do not yet know your local Federation, I encourage you to reach out. They are partners in community-building, in crisis response, and—yes—in combating antisemitism and hate in all its forms.

Federations can be extraordinary allies for you and for your constituents.

Here in Greater New Orleans, our Jewish population of between 12,000 to 13,000 makes up about two percent of the region. But we are a tightly knit community of seven synagogues, two Chabads, two Jewish Community Centers, and more than ten organizations that serve not only Jews, but thousands of our neighbors.

And we continue to punch far above our weight when it comes to civic engagement, philanthropy, and service. Jewish New Orleanians sit on nonprofit boards, lead educational initiatives, support the arts, and respond first in moments of crisis. Whether after Hurricane Katrina, during the pandemic, or in the face of rising extremism, our community shows up—not only for ourselves, but for the entire city.

The Federation’s Behar Center for Jewish-Multicultural Affairs reflects that commitment. Through cross-community partnerships, dialogue programs like Rekindle, our annual Juneteenth Freedom Seder, and collaborative work with faith, civic, and racial justice leaders, we are building the relationships that help cities thrive. This is what it looks like when a small community embraces a big calling.

We host this summit at a time of rising antisemitism—online, in our institutions, and on our streets. But history makes one thing clear: when mayors lead, cities listen. When you build strong ties across communities, you strengthen the civic immune system against hate. When you speak clearly about the threat of antisemitism, you also strengthen the fight against racism, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and all forms of extremism.

New Orleans’ Jewish history teaches us that communities do not thrive by accident. They flourish because leaders invest in them, stand with them, and create space for people to truly know one another.

So thank you for being here. Thank you for your leadership. And thank you for committing—not only to keeping the Jewish community safe—but to building cities where all can flourish. It is our honor to host you, and our privilege to stand with you in this work.