In the Spring of 2012, Professor Barry Stiefel and student Emily Ford’13 began the research and writing that has resulted in a short but comprehensive history of Jewish communities in New Orleans and along the Mississippi River in Louisiana and Mississippi. The result, The Jews of New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta: A History of Life and Community along the Bayou, was published in October 2012 by the History Press. During the summer. Emily visited Baton Rouge, Natchez and Vicksburg as well as smalller, back road towns where synagogues, cemeteries, commercial buildings, and residences reveal the location where Jewish communities once thrived. Richly illustrated with her photographs as well as images discovered in local and regional archives, The Jews of New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta highlights not only the historical significance of Jewish people in the lower Mississippi region from the 18th century to the present, but their impact on the built environment as well. This is a must READ! Check it out!
