GA moving to New Orleans

The Jewish Federations of North America is moving its annual conference in 2010 to New Orleans and holding it earlier than planned.

The umbrella group of the Jewish federation system had been set to hold its 2010 General Assembly in Orlando, Fla., but said in a news release Sunday that it decided to change the location for practical reasons and because the federation system raised some $30 million in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild the area.

Several thousand lay and professional leaders of the system attend the annual conference.

Jewish Federations also said it was changing the venue of its annual women’s philanthropy conference, the International Lions of Judah Conference, to New Orleans from Orlando.

The GA is now slated for Nov. 7-9 and the Lions of Judah Conference Nov. 8-10.

“We needed to reevaluate the venue,” explained Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America. “We are producing the GA and ILOJC during the same week, and unfortunately the space in Orlando does not meet the needs that would best accommodate both events and the alternatives in Orlando logistically would have compromised the momentum built from GA 2009.

“In reviewing our options, it became clear that New Orleans was a community where we, as a Jewish community and family, could reflect on our collective responsibility and action together.”