Erich Sternberg
Erich Sternberg (July 25, 1968) is the President of Starmount Life Insurance company. During Hurricane Katrina, he was also the President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge and served on the board for seven years. Erich attended Princeton and Columbia Universities before spending time in Australia and New York. He is married to Katherine Sternberg and has two children. He grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and lives there today.
Erich talks about his childhood in Baton Rouge, being one of the very few Jewish students, and experiences of discrimination. He describes his role as the President of the Jewish Federation in Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Jewish experience of Hurricane Katrina. Working for an insurance company at the time, Erich remembers receiving many calls in the weeks before the storm. He discusses Katrin's impact on Temple B'Nai Israel and the challenges they faced following the storm. Temple B'nai was used as a temporary shelter. He remembers assisting members of the New Orleans Jewish community and the strength of the community. He highlights the "abominable" response to Katrina by the federal government and the unequal impact of the hurricane on African Americans. Finally, Erich reflects on the Jewish community, both locally and nationally, and his own relationship with Judaism. He talks about being proud of his community and the work that they've done to help people.