New Mexico Jewish Journal ~ August Issue

Welcome to the AUGUST 2025 award-winning New Mexico Jewish Journal with 14 new articles. Share this newsletter with a friend, and ask them to sign up with a choice of a paid or free subscription. Every reader counts!

And Remember: keep coming back to the NMJJ website to read all the articles!:

Borges’ Jewish Roots

by Ilan Stavans Perhaps because the adolescence of Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) was marked by the atrocities of the First World War—when his family was caught in Europe during a trip and ultimately stayed there for more than a year—and the friendships he made during the period, and

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“Wrestling with Public Statements,” Rabbi Neil Amswych, Temple Beth Shalom, Santa Fe

Rabbi Neil Amswych’s Friday night sermon was reported on by the Jewish Telegraph Agency, after which the NY Times interviewed him (stay tuned). From JTA: In Santa Fe, New Mexico, Rabbi Neil Amswych of Temple Beth Shalom delivered an introspective and agonized message, one that wrestled not only with Israel’

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How attending a Wagner opera can be fun and not ponderous

By Judith Fein with photos by Paul Ross and photos by Curtis Brown for the Santa Fe Opera. Things to think about … 1. Your butt. Die Walküre is the second of a groundbreaking, monumental, four-opera, 18-hour series by Richard Wagner referred to as the Ring Cycle. Die Walküre, at the

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REFORM MOVEMENT STATEMENT ON STARVATION IN GAZA Central Conference of American Rabbis

“Reform Movement Statement on Starvation in Gaza” Central Conference of American Rabbis. July 27th, 2025 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝘇𝗮 The ongoing crisis in Gaza is a devastating reminder of the immense human cost of war. Nearly two years into Israel’s war against Hamas, Israelis are still waiting for the return of their loved

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Ken Elsas Mayers and his American Jewish Story

Ron Duncan Hart Have you wondered about the stories of your family that you wish you had asked when your parents were still alive? A year and a half ago, I met Ken Elsas Mayers who did know his family history, and it is about an exceptional American Jewish family.

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The Results Are in for the Most Important Election That You Haven’t Heard About….

by Dan Pava In March, I authored an article that appeared in the New Mexico Jewish Journal about the World Zionist Organization elections, explaining how this would affect Israel and the Jewish world. Votes for the US have been tabulated after polling ended on May 4th. The results show that

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AVID READERS RECOMMEND

by New Mexico Jewish Journal Beginning with our August, 2025 issue, we have a new feature, Avid Readers Recommend. Paid subscribers only may submit, by email, links to published articles from known credible, trustworthy, publications that they very much want other NMJJ readers to see. If the link is behind

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To our Jewish friends: You are not alone.

by Rev. Charles E. Becknell Sr., PhD We live in a time when hate has continued to rear its ugly and destructive head. It is my belief that hate cannot only be destructive but also devastating. Hate is a learned emotion. When children are born, they do not come into

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Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof - Pursue Justice.

By Rabbi Min Kantrowitz - Jewish Values #5 Each edition of NMJJ highlights one of the many Jewish values that guide our lives. Each of these values underlies our Jewish community, regardless of any individuals’ religious observances or practices. These values form the ethical structure of the community. They are

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Flood the zone with food and medical supplies, take away Hamas’ leverage, end the war.

By Alexandra Benjamin Let’s be clear. I believe that the starvation in Gaza is a moral outrage and that is enough of a reason to oppose the policies that have created it. But even if you set aside the moral case it is also a political and strategic disaster

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“Waters of Babylon,” a censored essay reveals its truth again this Tisha B’av

by Diane Joy Schmidt Tisha B’av, the commemoration of many disasters in Jewish history, begins the evening of Saturday, August 2nd, 2025. In 2013, twelve years ago, a short essay I wrote as correspondent for the former NM Jewish Link was censored by the CEO of the Jewish Federation

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Why is this dark money group fighting healthcare reform?

By Fred Nathan Jr., Executive Director, Think New Mexico Recently the New Mexico Ethics Commission sued a secretive, dark money group calling itself New Mexico Safety Over Profits (NMSOP) for violating state laws that require the disclosure of the source of funds used to influence legislation. The lawsuit alleges that

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Lack of immigration law is intolerable.

By Merilee Dannemann Lack of immigration law is intolerable. A dairy farm in southeastern New Mexico was more or less put out of business a few weeks ago when 11 workers were arrested for alleged immigration violations and the farmer had to fire an additional 24 workers. The workers allegedly

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UPCOMING EVENTS from our COMMUNITY SUPPORTER ADVERTISERS!!!!

Need an excuse to travel? Attend the SCJS Conference in Los Angeles!

STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR 4 more EJE classes in August!

HONEY ORDERS Early Bird Deadline for free shipping: AUG. 8th. Order by Sept. 10 in time for Rosh Hashanah delivery

JEWISH FEDERATION OF EL PASO & LAS CRUCES

First Book Fest Event Sept. 21st!

Community Supporters of the NM Jewish Journal include:
Jewish Community Foundation of New Mexico
Congregation Albert
Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque
The Institute for Tolerance Studies
Jewish Federation of El Paso and Las Cruces
Temple Beth Shalom
Congregation B'nai Israel
Shabbat with Friends: Recapturing Together the Joy of Shabbat
New Mexico Jewish Historical Society
Where the North Ends, A Novel by Hugo Moreno 

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