New shul in town: Beth Shalom

New Toulouse has a lot in common with New Orleans of the early twentieth century; like its mother city, it is a melting pot of cultural influences, including religion. Now, through the efforts of Francesa Alva, the proprietor of the Green-eyed Fairy, a new synagogue named Beth Shalom has opened to the public. Jews and their influence figure prominently in New Orleans history, and Miss Alva has honored this legacy in building Temple Beth Shalom.

Nestled behind the Green-eyed Fairy is Beth Shalom, an unimposing yet elegant building designed by Miss Alva. She explained some of the reasons why she undertook this project.

“When I joined SL, there was very little Jewish activity. Then Beth Odets built Second Life Synagogue, and we finally had a community,” she said. “Almost as soon as I bought land in New Toulouse [in September 2009] I began to think about building a synagogue there, not to compete with Second Life Synagogue, but as a natural expression of my Jewishness. I’m not really sure why I waited so long, but various factors combined to make me realize that, to quote Hillel the Elder, ‘If not now, when?’ With the renaissance of New Toulouse, I felt it was a time of new beginnings for us all. Also, there is a strong Jewish presence in New Toulouse, I discovered. Our mother city of New Orleans has a rich Jewish history.”

Stained-glass windows and a beautiful glass dome adorn Beth Shalom while providing plenty of natural light. Inside can be found the Jewish temple essentials: an Ark, the Ner Tamid (eternal flame), and a menorah. Comfortable seating provides a perfect place for religious as well as community events.

But does this holy place truly belong behind the Green-eyed Fairy, a well-known club with an opium den, and directly across from another infamous den of iniquity, the Thirsty Sheep?

“I started building Beth Shalom on the first night of Pesach [March 25], but that was pure serendipity,” explained Miss Alva. “I rather like this juxtaposition of the sacred and the profane. It works well and seems to represent one of the foundation blocks on which New Toulouse is built.”

Habana Jazz is a resident of New Toulouse and calls his mother every week.