 At one time the largest Orthodox congregation in the Southern United States , its membership was over 500 families in the 1960s , but fell to under 200 by 2005 . That year its Canal Boulevard building was severely flooded by the 2005 New Orleans levee failure disaster during Hurricane Katrina . Despite attempts to save them , all seven of its Torah scrolls were destroyed , as were over 3 @,@ 000 prayer @-@ books . The building suffered further flooding damage caused by the theft of copper air @-@ conditioning tubing in 2007 . 
