M

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane's
Message

Oak Parker's parents flee their
home in New Orleans.

KERI GUTEN COHEN
Story Development Editor

L

isa Berger of Oak Park grew
up in New Orleans, where her
father, Carl Sarett, is a federal
administrative judge and her mother,
Edith, is an artist and interior decora-
tor.
Together, the Saretts made many
friends, became involved in Jewish
activities ranging from Chabad to
Hadassah, and established a beautiful
home in New Orleans' Uptown area
close to the Jewish Community
Center.
They dedicated years to decorating
their home, filling it with Edith's oil
paintings, beautiful furniture and fre-
quent guests. And they enjoyed their
lush garden with its two fountains.
In the afternoon of Sunday, Aug.
28, they left it all behind to escape
Hurricane Katrina, which later devas-
tated New Orleans and much of the
Gulf Coast.
Last year, around Rosh Hashanah,
Berger remembers her parents also
faced an approaching hurricane.
"Last year, they were lucky," Berger
said. "At the last minute, the hurri-
cane moved away. This year, the hur-
ricane was more serious. Friends were
calling my parents and telling them to
leave.
Her parents had plane reservations
to Dallas that Sunday night, but the
airport closed and they couldn't get
out. They decided to drive. They left
hastily — Edith without any pajamas
— and began driving toward Texas.
"My mother usually packs two
weeks in advance," Berger said. "They
did take sandwiches and food for the
road."
That Sunday, in bumper-to-bumper
traffic, the Saretts got as far as
Beaumont, Texas, close to the

9/ 8
2005

74

Louisiana border. A family
friend had made hotel
reservations for them, but
they were told they could
only stay one night
because previous reserva-
tions filled the hotel.
When Berger's father lost a Judge Carl and Edith Sarett of New Orleans escaped the wrath of Hurricane Katrina.
lens to his glasses, they
were granted another
night.
will be able to return to New Orleans.
"It's a real shock. It all happened
The Saretts left that Wednesday,
very suddenly without much warning.
What's The Message?
heading for Austin, where they now
No one could have dreamed this
are staying with Berger's first cousin,
"It's hard to tell what's left," Berger
would happen — looting, raping,
Bob Feiner.
said last Friday. "I saw some photos
corpses in the water. It's really hard
"They don't know how long they
on the Internet of their area and it
when you think of the place you grew
will be there," Berger said. "They
may have had 2 to 3 feet of water."
up. It's very shocking."
need to get their bearings, get the
Berger is in constant phone contact
Berger, a mother of six who became
basics."
with her parents. "All in all, they have Orthodox after living in Israel where
She has invited them to come to
a very good attitude," she said.
she met her husband, Michael, says
Oak Park, but says they aren't sure
"They're glad to be alive. Glad to be
there are parallels and lessons to be
what they will do yet or when they
out of there.
learned from Hurricane Katrina.
"My husband, who used to work
for Aish HaTorah and is a mathemati-
cian, thinks the timing is sort of iron-
ic, with Jewish people evacuating
Gaza and people here in American
undergoing a similar experience. It's
probably worse for the people in
Louisiana.
"It's no coincidence, and we can't
really ignore it. I think that God is
trying to tell us something."
Berger feels such an enormous
tragedy deserves deep thought, espe-
cially as the High Holidays approach.
"We have to think about why we
are here," she said. "Material posses-
sions can vanish in one second —
then what do you have left?
Historically, a Jew can try to hide, but
we are reminded we can't escape, that
we are Jews and are expected to
behave as Jews. I believe that's one of
the main messages of the hurricane.
"When all is gone, what's really
important? Mitzvahs and connections
The Saretts have no idea what has happened to their New Orleans home.
to the Jewish people and God." II