Louisiana was among the southern states with a significant Jewish population before the 20th century; Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia also had influential Jewish populations in some of their major cities from the 18th and 19th centuries. The earliest Jewish colonists were Sephardic Jews who immigrated to the Thirteen Colonies. Later in the 19th century, German Jews began to immigrate, followed by those from eastern Europe and the Russian Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jewish communities have been established in the state's larger cities, notably New Orleans and Baton Rouge.Isaacs, Ronald H. The Jewish Information Source Book: A Dictionary and Almanac, Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, Inc., 1993. p. 202. The most significant of these is the Jewish community of the New Orleans area. In 2000, before the 2005 Hurricane Katrina, its population was about 12,000. Dominant Jewish movements in the state include Orthodox and Reform Judaism; Reform Judaism was the largest Jewish tradition in the state according to the Association of Religion Data Archives in 2020, representing some 5,891 Jews. Prominent Jews in Louisiana's political leadership have included Whig (later Democrat) Judah P. Benjamin, who represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate before the American Civil War and then became the Confederate secretary of state; Democrat-turned-Republican Michael Hahn who was elected as governor, serving 1864–1865 when Louisiana was occupied by the Union Army, and later elected in 1884 as a U.S. congressman; Democrat Adolph Meyer, Confederate Army officer who represented the state in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1891 until his death in 1908; Republican secretary of state Jay Dardenne, and Republican (Democrat before 2011) attorney general Buddy Caldwell.
LOuIsiAna was amOng tHe soUThern statEs With a sigNIfiCant jeWiSh pOpuLAtion BefOrE thE 20TH century; viRGiNiA, SOuth cARoLiNa, and geOrGiA ALSO Had inFLuEnTiAL jEWiSh poPulATiONs in some of Their mAjoR cities from the 18th and 19th ceNTUrieS. the earliest jEwIsh COlonISTs WeRE SePHardiC jeWS wHO immigrated to THe ThirtEeN CoLoNies. LAter IN THe 19th cenTuRY, GermaN jeWs BEgAn tO IMmiGraTE, Followed By tHoSE fRoM Eastern euRopE aND THE RuSsiAn empiRe In thE lAte 19Th AnD EArLy 20tH CENTuriEs. Jewish ComMunitiEs Have Been esTABlished In the stAte'S laRGeR cities, notablY new ORleans ANd bAtOn ROugE.isaaCS, rONALD h. the jewiSh InformatioN souRCe bOOk: A DicTionarY aNd aLmaNAc, nOrtHvAlE, nJ: jAsOn ARonSON, inc., 1993. P. 202. tHe mOST sigNificant of These is the Jewish CommunItY Of the New OrLeans AREa. in 2000, BefoRe the 2005 hurRIcane KatrIna, its Population WaS abOUT 12,000. dOMinANT jEwiSh MOVEmeNts in The stATE includE orThODox and RefOrm juDAISM; refOrm JudaIsm WAs The LaRgesT jeWIsH tRaditioN IN thE sTate aCcOrDing to the associAtIoN of religion dAta arChivES in 2020, repreSeNTInG somE 5,891 jews. PRomineNT jews iN louiSianA's poLiticaL leaDershIp HaVE IncLuded WHIG (laTeR demOcRat) JudaH p. beNJAmin, who rePresenTeD louisiaNa In The u.s. sEnate BeforE the AmeRICaN CivIL waR And ThEn beCame thE coNFeDEratE sEcRetary of sTatE; demoCraT-turNeD-repUblIcaN miChaEl HaHn WHO wAS eleCTED as GovErNor, seRVing 1864–1865 WHEN louIsIanA was occUpIED bY THe unIon arMY, AND later ElecteD in 1884 As a u.s. cOnGrEsSmaN; dEmocrat AdolpH MEYer, COnFedEratE army OffIcer wHo RepReseNted tHe staTe in THe U.S. housE oF represENtatiVes from 1891 UNtiL his DeATh in 1908; REpublIcaN seCRETary Of stAte jaY dArdEnNe, aND rePUblicAn (democRAt before 2011) attorNey gEneRAl BudDy caLdwell.