Carol Berman was raised in Black Baptist family, attended a Catholic University, and married into a Modern Orthodox Jewish family.  Born in the Greater New Orleans area, she is from the West Bank originally. Carol joined the US Army Reserve (USAR) at the rank of Private First Class in 1994.  She also received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University (New Orleans) the same year. Upon returning to New Orleans from Basic Training (Boot Camp) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT), she obtained employment in a local public library system which allowed her to continue her passion of serving all members of our community.  Carol worked towards and was eventually awarded a Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) from Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge in 2001 – one month prior to the 9/11 attack on our nation. 

An Afghanistan Veteran and with almost 30 years of service, Carol Berman currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the USAR.  (18 months ago, she served as a Battalion Commander of a Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.)  Her current civilian position is with the Department of Veterans Affairs in the New Orleans area; she assists VA employees in continuing their education and achieving their life goals. Her husband, Benjamin, is the son of a Holocaust Survivor from Poland. They have a daughter, Penina, who attends a local Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Together, Penina and Benjamin form her rock and help her to “Keep Moving Forward!” 

Carol is currently Post Commander of Ben Katz Post 580 (New Orleans) of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America.

What value do we need most in our world today?

To value each other.  Throughout my travels, I find that we (Human Beings) do not value each other, or not enough.   There are individuals who make it their business to hurt each other. We were made to be different by G-d, and should honor Our Creator by valuing His work (us).  Our worldviews will be different – the way we live, love, and learn will be different.  Yet, this does not mean we should do things that would lead to hurt and pain that lasts for generations.

What do you value most in your friends?

To be my friend, you have to learn or to be “rugged” and want to engage a role that may not be the perceived norm and approved by those around you.  I have always believed that we are here to serve the Will of G-d (Hashem).  For me, it means Tikkun Olam – repair the world when I have the absolute capability to do so. This ideology comes from a combination of my life experience and seeing others in a position of being disadvantaged. When I was younger, I was always counted out.  When I was 16 years-old, I was told by one of my teachers that I would be pregnant by 18.  I had to corner my high school teachers to tutor me because I knew I had to learn.  I went to Loyola and had to take every remedial course first just to get through.  After trying to figure out things during many years of college, I finally graduated not Cum Laude or Summa Cum Laude, just “Thank You L-aude” and ran with that diploma. My military experience was not easy either. Not many things came easy in this life. Yet, for me the driving factor became who was willing to be on my team – mentor and guide me through the most difficult times of my life, and sometimes theirs. (Because in life, sometimes, there is pain all over.) Yet, when you understand how you are accountable, responsible, and occasionally have the authority to make things right, you can fix your part of the world – start in the square five blocks in which you live.  And just us doing a little at a time, will repair the world. Those who are “rugged” will withstand the world’s challenges and still want to do the right thing and make a place for all others to live in peace.

Who’s your favorite Jewish hero (living or not/fictional or not) and why? 

My favorite Jewish hero (or heroine) is the one I take my name from: Yael (also know as Jael). The following is basically described in Chapters 4 and 5 in the Book of Judges in the Tanakh:  The Jewish people were severely oppressed in the Land of Canaan.   The prophetess and judge, Deborah, advised the Jewish military commander Barak to mobilize the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon on Mount Tabor to do battle against King Jabin of Canaan.  Barak told her that he would follow her directions if she accompanied him.  Deborah replied that his victory will be given to a woman. Yael delivers the Jewish people from the Army of King Jabin by killing its general, Sisera. How?  After his Soldiers were defeated when their iron chariots became stuck in mud, General Sisera left the area.  He later arrived at the household of Heber the Kennite, Jael’s husband.  Seeking refuge, Sisera asked Jael to provide him comfort and to hide him from his enemies in her tent.  Sympathetic to the Jews after seeing them be victims of 20 years of cruel treatment from Sisera’s king, Jael rose to the occasion.  After giving him milk, a blanket, and a place to sleep, she took a tent peg and knocked it through Sisera’s head with a hammer.  By this basic action, she became a Woman of Valor among the Jewish people, because the military leader was killed, and the king did not have any further capability to harm the Jewish people.  

Jael is my favorite hero because I find myself in her.  I am not sure if she was a Jewish woman, but many believe she was definitely ‘Jewish Adjacent’ or ‘Jewish Allied’.  Jael became a hero during a military action – hey, I went to war. I know that she did not take lightly the duty she felt she had to harm someone to protect other lives.  Yael picked up the tent peg and hammer because she knew that there was no other choice she had to protect and save people.  This “value” is what I was trained to do and instinctively hold onto throughout my life.  (In other words, you do not fire your weapon unless you absolutely have to, because it can severely hurt or kill.)   Overall, she gives me hope that a woman that may have not been born Jewish, can provide comfort, strength, stability and ensure the lives of Jewish people for centuries to come.  Regardless of what I may face internally or externally in our community, I find in her that I am where G-d wants me to be.

What’s the best thing about being part of our New Orleans Jewish community?

The best thing about being a part of the New Orleans Jewish community is that you can function in and belong to several flavors of Judaism, and it is greatly accepted.  For example, my family has memberships in a Conservative shul and a Reform shul.  There are families that have the same practice and it is basically normal in New Orleans.  I think it is unique in our area and makes us stronger as a community.  Unlike other cities, we have the capability for “crosstalk” and acceptance of the different flavors that enhance our efforts, break down internal barriers, and unite during the most recent tragedies and troubles.

How did you get involved in our Jewish Federation and what have you gained from your experience?

My relationship with the Jewish Federation has grown due to my participation in the Jewish War Veterans and my daughter attending the New Orleans Jewish Day School (NOJDS), now Jewish Community Day School (JCDS).  I will start with the Day School. I made the choice to send my daughter to the school, mainly due to the advice of Dr. Mike Wasserman. While we were there, I was able to be a member of the School Board when I became the Parent Association President.  I associated with members of the Federation and its leadership. During the last few years, my membership and ascension through the ranks of the local post of the Jewish War Veterans allowed me to participate in various activities with the Federation.  The ideas of Tikkun Olam, as well as the friendships and other relationships that have been developed, keeps my participation in the Federation going.

What I gained from the Federation is a spiritual growth within me that transcends my entire being.  A big example of this is when I found the Day School and Federation participating in the yearly Martin Luther King Jr. March sponsored by the City of New Orleans.  As an African-American, I was proud to be walking with my Federation and child’s school every January.  Before COVID hit, I was one of the major representatives for the Federation to ensure our participation – our place among all people in our community.  If we have any role in this, we will not stop marching, we will not be afraid, and we will again be on the street for MLK, Jr Day.

What do you want the community to know about Jewish War Veterans?

I want the Jewish community to know that much of its current history is entwined with the Jewish War Veterans.  Started in 1896, the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America’s origins come from anti-Semitism. The great Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens made remarks indicating that Jews do not serve in the military and not one would die for this country.  He later retracted his remarks, but it sparked Jews at the time to unite on their military experiences.  At 127 years, JWV is the oldest Military Service Organization (MSO) in the country – older than the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and others.  Jewish War Veterans not only has pushed for Veterans concerns, in this country, but has been a constant voice for Jews issues.   For instance, in 1948, JWV staged the largest parade in Jewish history with over 250,000 Veterans marching for the creation of a Jewish State in Palestine, where Israel would be created shortly after. (This does not count the boycotts and previous parade held in 1936 against Nazi Germany.)  JWV members were on the backs of Congress to pass Civil Rights legislation in the 1960s.  In my opinion, it has been Jews willing to serve in the military, sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice, and is one of the big reasons why we are all experiencing the freedom we have today.  Even though we are a national organization, we are small. I hope that there are others who will contact me that want to continue the legacy – our legacy of being American Jews who got/get in the fight to help keep America safe and allow freedom to reign.