The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is seeking to cooperate with black communities to rebuild areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
The public policy umbrella organization held a conference this week in New Orleans on working with African-American communities to rebuild the Gulf region. The conference drew Jewish and black leaders from around the country.
In addition to sessions on community development, participants toured food banks and spent a day helping to rebuild homes in St. Bernard Parish, the area hardest hit by Hurrican Katrina in 2005.
“For generations, the African-American and Jewish communities have been allies against the injustices and inequalities facing minority groups in America,” said Rabbi Steve Gutow, the executive director of the group, at the launch of the June 15-18 conference. “It only makes sense that we come together as a group to find ways we can address today’s most pressing issues.”
