Everybody Benefits

Exodus has been a running theme throughout Jewish history. Jewish individuals, families and communities have left their homes, often on a moment's notice, to flee slavery, hostile armies, persecution, forced conversion and other afflictions.

Natural disasters rarely figure into the Jewish narrative other than the in the story of Noah and the flood.

Here in Austin, the story of the Samuels family links both experiences in extraordinary ways.

Alvin and Madilyn Samuels and their family fled New Orleans in the middle of the night the day before Hurricane Katrina reached the Gulf Coast. The Samuels packed for an out-of-town family wedding and figured on returning home after the weekend. Then the levees failed, their homes flooded, and the Patti Arnold Samuels Jewish Day School, founded by their beloved daughter-in-law and named in her memory, closed.

The Samuels clan relocated to Austin and benefited from the warm welcome and community support received by thousands of others dislocated by the largest natural disaster in American history.

Although the Samuels were drawn to Austin for a variety of reasons, the presence of the Austin Jewish Academy (AJA), Austin's Jewish community day school, topped the list. "We saw in the Austin Jewish Academy the quality school we wanted for New Orleans and which Patti would have been proud," Alvin declares. "Our grandchildren had one of their best years ever. Without the school, we would not have come."

Others no doubt share the same sentiment. The presence of excellent Jewish community day schools with equally strong and well integrated secular and Jewish curricula has become the sine qua non of serious, growth-oriented Jewish communities. Local companies, health care providers and universities would have a difficult time convincing many Jewish families to relocate to any city without a high quality Jewish day school. Everybody benefits from the existence and option of a quality Jewish day school education.

One year after Hurricane Katrina, the Samuels children and grandchildren have returned to New Orleans to begin the rebuilding process. Alvin and Madilyn have chosen to stay here. "We are strengthened by the awesome Austin potential," Alvin explains. "The school and the Jewish community have the potential for greatness."

Now Alvin and Madilyn have made a significant financial investment in both the AJA and the 2007 Austin United Jewish Community Campaign. "AJA and Austin have helped turn our sorrow into song," Alvin contends.

Everybody benefits.