A Tale of Two Cities, Rehovot and Albuquerque
By Andrew Tafoya Leverett
This past December I traveled to Rehovot, Israel, on behalf of the Albuquerque Sister Cities Foundation. While in Rehovot I enjoyed its cultural attractions, walked its streets and chatted with many of its residents. And I shared a meaningful dialogue and visit with members of the municipality and Rehovot Mayor Matan Dil.
Rehovot and Albuquerque share a storied history starting with the formal signing of a Sister City Relationship in 2008. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavéz traveled with Jewish community leader Harold B. Albert and a Sister City delegation to Rehovot to sign the memorandum of understanding with the mayor of Rehovot at that time.
Since that signing, the relationship has withstood the distance, the pandemic, and even the onslaught of a series of militant escalations, and the horrific events and captivity of Israelis on and after October 7th. Among those taken captive was Rehovot resident Nimrod Cohen. The people of Albuquerque have stood firm with the people of Rehovot through it all.
During the time of the pandemic letters of goodwill were exchanged. However, the distance was not bridged until December 2025. This trip was the first in many years and the first meeting with new Mayor Matan Dil. I believed that sending a representative to witness firsthand the needs of the community was a priority both to preserve and strengthen our relationship.
The Weizmann Institute was directly hit by an Iranian missile last summer. I saw the ruins of a residential building, another direct hit, that was meters away from the municipality.
I found a city filled with hope and striving to support its residents despite extraordinary adversity and challenges. I saw solidarity reminiscent of what I had seen in America in the days and weeks after the September 11th attacks. In Rehovot and all across Israel I saw the message ביחד ננצח — Together we will win. This message inspired me to strengthen the relationship between our two cities. Despite the 6000 miles between us, I believe that our people share a genuine connection, and that we can achieve so much together.
I sought to gain a sense of the daily life of the residents. I visited the renowned Weizmann Institute and BINA, Bridge, Innovate, Nurture, Advance, its translational research branch designed to turn early-stage, basic scientific discoveries into applied, real-world solutions. I then met with Mayor Dil to discuss ways in which our cities can collaborate. Rehovot boasts a high quality of life, pride in education and industry, and a work-life balance that encourages family stability and community development. It is a medium sized city adjacent to Tel Aviv and a burgeoning center of technology and innovation.
While at Weizmann, I met with the head of BINA, Dr. Sharon Fireman, and Dr. Merav Marom, who shared with me the work that their office is engaged in. I sought to connect them with one of New Mexico’s acclaimed scientific laboratories and biomedical research institutes to pursue discovery and development. We discussed artificial intelligence and quantum computing, areas in which New Mexico and Albuquerque are rapidly emerging, and the potential for cooperation in these areas.
At the municipality, I met with several of the city officials and mayoral staff. We exchanged gifts and spoke at length about the collaboration between our cities and the visions for the future. We touched upon many topics ranging from education, technology exchange, professional development opportunities between our cities and universities, and even foreign direct investment. It is my hope that we can continue bilateral exchanges to maintain and cultivate this connection.
Mayor Dil was very gracious and we shared time in his office discussing plans for the future and how he wishes for us to strengthen our ties. He highlighted the growth of a new neighborhood in the city and how there is ever-increasing confidence in Rehovot. We spoke about New Mexico and the community in Albuquerque, and how there are so many sending well wishes and support to him and his residents. I learned that education and the quality of life of his citizens are near and dear to his heart. I listened to the ways in which he is striving to make Rehovot an exemplary city centered around the Israeli family.
Meeting with Mayor Dil and visiting Rehovot were memorable experiences. I’m pleased to bring this renewed momentum back home to Albuquerque. I have every confidence that the relationship will continue to grow, and many have already expressed their eagerness to collaborate and contribute towards this initiative. I look forward to witnessing a new chapter unfold between our two great cities.
Andrew Tafoya Leverett is a bilingual educator from Albuquerque, New Mexico, a graduate of the University of New Mexico and the University of Haifa, and is currently serving as board member and Rehovot co-chair with the Albuquerque Sister Cities Foundation. Andrew has a passion for citizen diplomacy and Israel advocacy.
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