<p>PegV420: if it makes you feel any better, my D had to move from NJ to TN to be invited to her first Bar Mitzvah 
While the percentage of the Jewish population is significantly smaller in the South than in the NYC area (and I can’t remember where you’re from), most areas that are a small city and larger have an established Jewish community. Especially near major medical centers. I would think that Birmingham has a fairly large Jewish community and that’s less than an hour from Tuscaloosa. </p>
<p>A lot of the conservative Christian churches are staunch supporters of Israel due to their literal interpretation of the Bible so, from what I see and hear, there isn’t any apparent anti Jewish bias. Curiosity, yes. Now, from what I hear, the Mormon kids can be given quite a hard time but that’s another topic (and not specific to AL, it could just be in my neck of the woods.)</p>