Metairie's Beth Israel holds Scholars weekend in memory of Jackie Gothard

Judge Sol and Jackie Gothard (file photo) Beth Israel in Metairie will have a weekend in remembrance of Jackie Gothard, who served as the...

Judge Sol and Jackie Gothard (file photo)

Beth Israel in Metairie will have a weekend in remembrance of Jackie Gothard, who served as the congregation’s president during the Katrina aftermath and is credited with willing the congregation to survival in those uncertain times when the Beth Israel building was rendered unusable.

The congregation’s first female president, Gothard died on May 21, 2018.

Menachem Butler, program coordinator for Jewish Law Projects at the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law at the Harvard Law School, will be the scholar in residence. He is also a contributing editor at Tablet and co-editor of Sefarim.

The weekend starts with Shabbat services at 7 p.m. on May 10, followed by a Shabbat dinner. Butler will speak on “Charity, Captivity and Courage: On Studying Jewish History.” Dinner reservations in advance are required, and for members are $18 for adults and $9 for children, $25 and $18 respectively for non-members. Ages 5 and under are free.

On May 11, services will start at 9 a.m., and around 10:45 a.m. Butler will speak on “The People We Meet. The Stories We Tell. The Lives We Live.” The lunch following is sponsored by Eddie and Blayne Gothard.

At 7:15 p.m. there will be Mincha and a Seudah Shlishi. Butler will speak on “Two Introductions to Jewish Thought,” followed by Havdalah at 8:25 p.m.

On May 12, there will be Shacharit followed by breakfast, with a $5 suggested contribution. A memorial program and brunch sponsored by Judge Sol Gothard will be at 11:30 a.m.