The Jewish community of Gulfport and Biloxi, Miss., took another step towards recovery from Hurricane Katrina, as the groundbreaking for the Beth Israel Synagogue was held at the site of the new location on Oct. 26. 
B’nai B’rith International (BBI) has supported the community since the hurricane hit in 2005, providing Gulfport with the necessary funds to secure a $9 million grant to help rebuild the city. Most recently, BBI gave another donation to assist construction on the Beth Israel Synagogue.
“A synagogue is so many things: a house of study, a house of worship, and a house of assembly,” said Biloxi resident Lori Beth Susman, a member of the B’nai B’rith International Advisory Council and the 1988 Label A. Katz Young Leadership Award winner. “To the small but determined Jewish community here, Beth Israel is our home. This new building means so much to our community, both for what it symbolizes – our dedication and strength in rebuilding following a disaster – and for the housing it will give us for our Shabbat services, dinners, Sunday school programs, and holiday parties.”
A letter from BBI President Moishe Smith was read at the groundbreaking ceremony, which kicked off construction of the building, a project that is slated to conclude with a dedication in May.
