On Monday, thirteen seniors along with Mr. Galpert and Ms. Dweck embarked on the first ever Chesed Trip to New Orleans, Louisiana. The first day of the trip started off great! After a Delta flight full of turbulence and backgammon, we landed safely at MSY.
First we met with Rabbi Ethan “Earl” Katz, who took us for kosher beignets at Café du Monde. The soft fried dough and powdered sugar topping welcomed us warmly to the South.
After a stop off at the hotel, we were on our way to Project Green Light. Green Light New Orleans invests energy in people by assisting New Orleans residents in person, one household at a time by installing free energy efficient light bulbs in people's homes. We went to woman's house and changed all of her lightbulbs from incandescent bulbs to eco-friendly bulbs, saving her over $1000 annually.
Next we took a tour of the parts of the city hurt most by Hurricane Katrina, including the Lower 9th Ward and the Jewish Cemetery. We were moved by the burial places assigned to the Torah scrolls and other holy books that were destroyed by the flood waters.
For dinner we were surprised to find Kibbeh and meat cigars at Casablanca restaurant.
For the last scheduled event, we watched a traditional jazz concert at Preservation Hall in the French Quarter. The music was great and the lively spirit was even better. We wrapped up the night with an eventful trip to Walmart. Can’t wait for day two!
