Katrina@5 is a gathering of representatives from more than 30 philanthropic organizations, with the Association of Small Foundations acting as the organizing partner. Katrina @ 5 is built around the approaching fifth anniversary of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and it’s taking place in New Orleans March 22-24, 2010. ASF and its partners—national, regional, and local funders and funder networks—will affirm our support for the Gulf Coast and explore philanthropy’s role as a partner in disaster response, rebuilding, and transformation, We’re expecting close to 300 people to attend Katrina @ 5, and we’ll examine what has worked, what hasn’t, and what remains to be done.

We hope participants will gain information, inspiration, connections, and tools to advance their work. We’ll share best practices and knowledge on key issues—housing and homelessness, economic development, education, civic engagement, and more—brought to the forefront in the Gulf Coast by the impact of the hurricanes. Beyond that, we want to inspire sustained action and funding to address these issues in communities directly impacted by the storms, as well as across the country and even beyond.

New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are full of inspiration, creativity, and fresh approaches to recovery, rebuilding, and transformation. That said, significant work remains in the region, and we want the philanthropic community to see up-close the daily on-the-ground issues, the areas of unmet need, and the opportunities for action.

For more information about Katrina @ 5, visit www.KatrinaAtFive.org.

In the wake of Katrina, the ongoing religious question has not been “Why” but “What shall we do?”  And in churches, synagogues and mosques, along with fervent prayers for the victims, the injured and the bereaved, the response has been one of heroic labor, and generous relief and determined future.

Many of the faithful still wonder, “Why, dear God?”   But really, isn’t the only worthy response to that question the summons to embrace our duty:

… to help the afflicted

… to comfort the heartsick

… to heal the injured

… and to bring hope to those who have lost their way in the world.

In that way, we will, as the Prophet Isaiah puts it, become “the rebuilders of the ruins, the restorers of paths to dwell in.”

The Chasidic Sage of the 18^th Century, Rabbi Israel of Rishem, reminds us that life really comes down to a continual search for a nightlight that will not fail.   Rabbi Israel tells the story of a traveler who loses his way in the forest.  It is dark and, naturally, he is afraid.  He senses danger behind every tree.  A storm shatters the silence, but when it does, says the sage:

The fool among us can see nothing but the

lightning.  However, the wise one notes

carefully not the lightning but the road

that now lies illuminated before him.

We see that road.  Not only that, we are well along the way toward a better New Orleans for all of her proud and beautiful people.

Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn
Congregation Temple Sinai
August 20, 2009