Temple Beth Shalom sees bright future as congregation marks 70th anniversary
By Carina Julig
This article was originally published in the Santa Fe New Mexican on September 12, 2026, and is republished here with permission.
The folks who established Santa Fe’s first Jewish temple might be called pragmatists: The modest synagogue they built on East Barcelona Road in 1956 was deliberately small because they didn’t expect much growth.
“They said, I have been told, they knew there would never be more than 100 Jews in Santa Fe,” said Rabbi Neil Amswych, the temple’s leader since 2014.
They were wrong: By 1986, the congregation had outgrown the original space designed by renowned architect John Gaw Meem and built a new synagogue next to it. Today at least 300 families worship at Temple Beth Shalom or “house of peace,” formerly the Santa Fe Jewish Temple.
The temple this year is celebrating its 70th anniversary, a milestone it commemorated with a party in August and the publication this month of a cookbook featuring family recipes from congregation members.
Along with Jews across the globe, its members this weekend are celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the start of the new year in the Jewish calendar.
As religious participation nationwide is broadly in decline, Amswych said Temple Beth Shalom continues to grow and thrive, even amid rising antisemitism in the U.S. following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
“We are seeing more people being involved, more people coming to services, more people studying, more people volunteering,” Amswych said. “That, to me, shows that we can wrestle with the challenges of the world ... and celebrate at the same time.”
Celebrations recently included a large 70th anniversary party the temple hosted Aug. 8, which included music from local band Lumbre del Sol, children’s activities and a fundraiser for grief support nonprofit Gerard’s House.
Amswych said the party included recognition of former Rabbi Marvin Schwab and remarks from City Councilor Jamie Cassutt, a longtime member of the temple, and Mayor Michael Garcia, who delivered a proclamation recognizing Temple Beth Shalom.
It also included the ceremonial passing of a Torah scroll from an older member of the congregation to a younger member. Amswych said young people are an important part of the community, and the temple recently restarted a regular “Tot Shabbat” service specifically for families with young children
The temple’s preschool, located in the original building, has also been an integral part of the community for decades. Amswych said it hopes to expand in the future.
“It has always been just a jewel of this community,” he said.
Another of the temple’s initiatives this year has been the publication of the Gather ‘Round Our TBS Table cookbook, a collection of recipes submitted by members. Amswych noted food is an important part of many Jewish holidays, including Rosh Hashanah, where people traditionally eat apples dipped in honey to welcome in a “sweet” new year.
“It’s a nice way of not just sharing food, but also sharing memories,” he said of the cookbook.
Four security guards stationed outside the temple during Friday evening’s Rosh Hashanah service were a reminder of a less-than-welcome change the congregation has been forced to grapple with — a worldwide surge in antisemitism that led to a spike in attacks on Jewish people and facilities, including vandalism earlier this summer of a synagogue and Jewish community center in Albuquerque.
Amswych said this is “the biggest challenge the Jewish community has faced in decades” and ensuring the safety of the congregation anytime they are at worship comes with a steep price.
“We pay the bill for other people’s intolerance,” he said.
However, he said, Judaism has always lived in tension with suffering and joy, something Temple Beth Shalom will continue to navigate as it prepares for a future Amswych said he expects to be bright.
The United Kingdom native just renewed his contract as rabbi, meaning he will be with the congregation at least until 2031 — when it could host another party celebrating three quarters of a century in existence.
“We are planning together in a way I’ve never seen,” he said.” I’m genuinely very excited for the next five years.”
Carina Julig is a reporter at the Santa Fe New Mexican. This article was originally published in the Santa Fe New Mexican on September 12, 2026, and is republished here with permission. Read the original article here, Santa Fe New Mexican.
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