Julius Levy
Dr. Julius Levy was born in 1933 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. During segregation, Julius grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in the middle of the Delta and cotton country. He came to New Orleans to study at Tulane University, where he graduated with a medical degree in 1957. When Julius finished his residency at Tulane Service of Charity Hospital, he spent two years in the Navy. After his service, Julius returned to New Orleans, was in private practice for about thirty-five years, and served on the clinical faculty at Tulane. In 2005, Julius was working as a professor of Gross Anatomy at Tulane Medical School and captain of police reserves for the city of New Orleans. Additionally, Dr. Levy serves on the Institute for Southern Jewish Life Board and has been president of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans and Temple Sinai. He and his wife, Donna, have raised three children.
Julius talks about growing up Jewish in Clarksdale, Mississippi, coming to New Orleans for medical school, meeting his wife, a fellow ham operator, and living in New Orleans. He describes getting involved as a young man with United Jewish Appeal and eventually serving as its president. Julius said that his first trip to Israel was a significant moment in his life that drew him closer to Judaism. Julius explains his connection to Judaism through intellectual Jewish thought and history. He recalls being impressed that Israel had so much history built into the architecture and the landscape. During Katrina, Julius served as a captain in the police reserves. He stayed for the storm in his office at Tulane, walked home after the storm, and lived in his house with generators running. He discusses how he got onto the police force, his work looking for bodies, and the impact of Katrina on the police force. Julius is also on the faculty at Tulane Medical School and, after the storm, ended up in Houston teaching at the Tulane Medical School at Baylor University. Julius offers a historical account of the New Orleans Jewish community and discusses the impact of Katrina on the Jewish community. He also talked about the early politics of Temple Sinai, its relationship to Zionism, and its membership. Finally, Julius reflects on the city's politics and race relationships. He loves the city of New Orleans for its restaurants and small-town atmosphere. He says it would be hard for him to consider living anywhere else.
