Remembering Together: Scenes from the Annual Gathering at Santa Fe's Jewish Cemetery

Photos by Gay Block and Diane Joy Schmidt

This year’s 2026 community gathering to remember was held on Sunday, August 30^th, at 1:30 PM in the Jewish section of Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 417 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe.

"In the Jewish tradition, securing a place for burial is the first thing a community must do, even before creating a synagogue or a religious school. In Judaism, burial of the dead is deemed a religious commandment . . . This one community cemetery is shared by all the different, self-described congregations in Santa Fe: Temple Beth Shalom—Reform; Congregation Beit Tikva—Reform-leaning; HaMakom—Renewal/Conservative; the Santa Fe Jewish Center—Chabad. Chabad and the Orthodox share a separate, but contiguous, space. . . Each has its own rules and type of grave marker." Continue reading this story at "The Santa Fe Jewish Cemetery: A Cemetery Of and For The Whole Community" by Doris Francis, which traces the history and community efforts to create this Jewish cemetery.

From the announcement: "The Jewish Community Council of Northern New Mexico warmly invites you to join us in a cherished tradition: visiting the cemetery during the month of Elul to honor and remember our loved ones who have passed. All are welcome to be part of this annual meaningful gathering of memory, reflection, and community."

This year’s 2026 community gathering to remember was held on Sunday, August 30^th, at 1:30 PM in the Jewish section of Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 417 Rodeo Road, Santa Fe.

This one-hour Remembrance Service was led by Santa Fe’s congregational Rabbis and two Cantors. Carolyn Silver shared reflections on Jewish rituals of remembrance. Together, we also heard the sound of the Shofar, honored the 30^th anniversary of our Jewish cemetery, and unveiled four new Memorial Plaques.

The Santa Fe Jewish Cemetery: A Cemetery Of and For The Whole Community

By Doris Francis, JCCNNM Cemetery Committee chair 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of the Jewish Cemetery in Santa Fe. Under the leadership of the Jewish Community Council of Northern New Mexico (JCCNNM), our community will be commemorating this significant occasion at our annual Day or Remembrance. Below is a brief

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Rivera Memorial Gardens congratulates the Santa Fe Jewish Community on the thirty-year anniversary of your Jewish cemetery section. In recognition, families are invited to consider the purchase of graves in the Garden of Shalom, the Jewish Cemetery section of Memorial Gardens, 417 Rodeo Road: through September 30, $1,000 off a single grave space, when chosen with a second right of interment, or $750 off a single space. Please contact: 505-989-7032; ask for Sandra or Fernando or Consuelo.

To order a plaque, please write to Doris Francis at dfrancis07@outlook.com

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
HaMakom - Passionate Judaism in Santa Fe

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