Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life
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Mission & History

Mission

The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) supports, connects, and celebrates Jewish life in the South.

Vision

 The ISJL provides programs and services across the South. We offer resources tailored to meet the needs of communities of all sizes—from the largest congregations to the last-Jews-in-town. Throughout our 13-state region, we work with individuals, congregations, and organizations to preserve the storied past of southern Jewish life, while at the same time enriching the ongoing experience of Jews in the contemporary American South. We respond to emerging needs, and forge partnerships to secure additional connections and resources for the communities we serve.

History

The ISJL began as the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in 1986. The Museum, which now exists as a separate New Orleans-based entity, was formed as a response to an outcry from small-town southern Jews in need of a repository for artifacts, sacred objects, historical documents, and stories. The ISJL remains committed to supporting the museum efforts, and ensuring that the stories and impact of the southern Jewish community will not be forgotten.

But the story of Southern Jewish life is not merely a story of shuttering synagogues and diminishing numbers. It's also a story of incredible culture, vibrant congregations, and active Jewish communities of all sizes.

Thus, in 2000, we became the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life. Our three core service areas are Education, Culture, and Spirituality. Our programs and resources are available throughout the thirteen states we serve: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. 
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  • Home
  • WHO WE ARE
    • Our Mission & History
    • Goldring and Woldenberg
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Our Founder
    • Contact Us
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Conference >
      • 2025 PRESENTERS
      • Conference Info 2025
    • Education >
      • Education Overview
      • ISJL Program Bank
      • Hineinu Y'all
      • Education Partners
      • Curriculum Highlights >
        • Lesson Plan Evaluation
      • Literacy >
        • LAB
        • Our Reading Family
        • TAP >
          • TAP Basic Resources
          • TAP Newsletter
          • Zadeck TAP Mentors
    • CULTURE >
      • Culture Overview
      • Cultural Programming >
        • Presenters Roster
      • History >
        • Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities >
          • Alabama Encyclopedia
          • Arkansas Encyclopedia
          • Georgia Encyclopedia
          • Florida Encyclopedia
          • Kentucky Encyclopedia
          • Louisiana Encyclopedia
          • Mississippi Encyclopedia
          • North Carolina Encyclopedia
          • Oklahoma Encyclopedia
          • South Carolina Encyclopedia
          • Tennessee Encyclopedia
          • Texas Encyclopedia
          • Virginia Encyclopedia
          • Encyclopedia Credits
        • Oral History
    • SPIRITUALITY >
      • Spirituality Overview
      • Passover
      • High Holidays Helper
      • Meet Our Rabbi
      • Taste of Torah
    • PODCAST
  • DONATE
    • Donation Options
    • Donate Now
    • Planned Giving
    • Join the Chai Club
    • Donor's Bill of Rights
  • Shalom Y'all
  • Strategic Plan
  • Southern & Jewish Blog
  • Calendar
  • Virtual Press Kit
  • ISJL 25