March 2011 - Jewish Federation of New Mexico

VOLUME 41, NUMBER 3 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o
ADAR I/ADAR II 5771 - MARCH 2011
What We’ve Been Up To
By Hank Crane
President, Jewish Federation
of New Mexico
It’s a safe bet that Oñate never
envisioned that the land he claimed for
the glory of Inquisition Spain would
one day become an especially fertile
place for growing Jews.
In fact, it’s doubtful that anyone
would have predicted that New
Mexico — short of the demographics,
philanthropic history and general
conditions deemed necessary to build
a solid kehillah — would by 2011 find
itself abundant in agencies, congregations,
programs and engagement
opportunities for Jews of all ages,
as well as one of the most admired,
dynamic communities in the nation.
As for the Jewish Federation of
New Mexico, we like to see our role
as a crucial partner to agencies and
congregations to meet the accelerating
needs of this ever-growing community.
With this growth comes inevitable
growing pains with tzedakkah
acting as the one cure-all salve. After
all, that is what we “sell.” And the
results seem to be nothing short of
miraculous.
So, in the midst of our 2011 campaign,
we thought we should offer a
short overview of what we’ve been
doing lately in the service of our
mission:
At the heart of our mission is supporting
the
agencies
and programs
that
depend on
an annual
JFNM
allocation.
Thanks
t o t h e
Hank Crane
$238,538
in allocations
provided this year by the JFNM,
Jewish Family Service of New Mexico’s
Community Chaplaincy programs
in Albuquerque and Santa Fe,
as well as JFS’s intensive social worker
program, meets more client needs
than ever; the Solomon Schechter
Day School is providing more scholarships
to families; the Jewish Community
Center of Greater Albuquerque
is able to continue offering outstanding
Jewish programs for youth
and seniors as well as camp scholarships;
the New Mexico Jewish Historical
Society (which is housed at
the Federation office) is maintaining
operations; the Rabbis and Cantors
Association of Albuquerque is able
to offer joint congregational programs
and Nahalat Shalom is able to offer
sign-language interpretation for the
hearing impaired at services.
Meanwhile, our Youth Conclave
Fund offers ongoing grants to Jewish
See WHAT. . . Page 15
Israel Rethinks Readiness
for Multi-Front War
By Leslie Susser
JERUSALEM (JTA) Feb. 15
— Although it’s still far from clear
how the uprising in Egypt is going
to play out, the volatility there is
already raising questions in Israel
about the Jewish state’s readiness
for a war on several fronts.
The optimistic view in Israel
is that a wave of democracy will
sweep the Middle East from Cairo
to Tehran, making war in any
form less likely.
The pessimists — there are
many here — see an ascendant
Islamic radicalism taking hold in
Egypt and elsewhere, thus compounding
the military threats
facing Israel.
In the Israel Defense Forces,
generals are planning for worstcase
scenarios.
In a series of farewell
addresses this month, outgoing
IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi
offered a rare insight into
how the Israeli military sees the
emerging threats and what it is
doing to meet them.
Ashkenazi spoke of “tectonic
changes” in the region, leading to
gains for the Iranian-led radical
axis at the expense of the region’s
moderates. He pointed to the
growing dominance of Hezbollah
in Lebanon, the Islamist shift
in Turkey and now the danger that
Egypt, once the linchpin of the
moderate camp, will fall into the
orbit of radical Islam.
Things could get even worse,
he said, when the Americans
finally pull out of Iraq, leaving
that Shiite-dominated country
free to lurch toward the radicals.
In Ashkenazi’s view, all this
means that the IDF needs to
prepare for a significant broadening
of the spectrum of threats
See WAR. . . Page 4
At Long Last, an Unlikely Return
By Sam Sokolove
Executive Director, JFNM
Link Staff Report
To help identify ritual, cultural
and educational needs in New Mexico’s
southern Jewish communities, the
Jewish Federation of New Mexico is
sponsoring Rabbi Stephen Landau’s
visit to Roswell and Carlsbad next
month.
On Friday, April 1 at 7 p.m. and
Saturday, April 2 at 11 a.m., Landau
will conduct “Lighting the Spark of the
Sacred: Shabbat with Rabbi Stephen
Landau,” at Roswell’s Congregation
B’nai Israel, 712 N. Washington.
On Sunday, April 3, 12 p.m. at
Temple Beth El in Carlsbad, Landau
will speak on “Passover -- Do Take it
Personally! A Spiritual Guide to Preparing
for Passover.”
Landau received rabbinic ordination
from Hebrew College Rabbinical
School in Boston. Often teaching from
the mystical tradition, Landau seeks to
impart appreciation for Jewish diversity
and authenticity in prayer life, and
has enlivened davening with new melodies
from the Ladino and Chasidic
traditions. He has served Reform,
Conservative, Reconstructionist and
unaffiliated congregations, as well
as the innovative liberal mikvah and
education center, Mayyim Hayyim,
in Boston. A westerner originally
from Dallas, Texas, Landau lived and
learned for 20 years in Santa Fe and
Albuquerque before relocating temporarily
to the Northeast.
Belen is not some place I visit
often; granted, I enjoy this very
lovely rural town, but there’s just
not enough “Jewish action” there
to merit a regular 40-mile journey
south on I-25. So when Barney
Carbajal, Senior Pastor of Abundant
Life Christian Center invited
me to lunch I jumped at the chance
to spend some time with this very
special friend and to take in some of
Belen’s Old New Mexico ambience,
as well as a sopapilla (or two).
The evening before my trip, I
received an unexpected call at the
Federation office. The caller, who
had simply contacted the first Jewish
organization she came across in the
yellow pages, informed me that she
had inherited four wine goblets that
were gifted to her father, Airforce
Captain William John Sinclair, by
a German soldier while stationed in
Badenheim in 1948.
Etched on the base of each glass
was a Jewish star.
I asked the caller if she knew
how the goblets had come into possession
of the German soldier and
she bristled at the absurdity of my
question. “I think we both know
how he got them,” she replied. “I’d
like to see these go back to a Jewish
family to use at a Passover dinner,”
she told me, and offered to donate
them to the Federation.
Someone would just need to pick
them up from her house in Belen.
Beshert, I thought. We made
plans to meet the next afternoon.
I had invited Abigail Seldin,
a Rhodes Scholar in Anthropology
at Oxford University living in
Albuquerque this year to research
Crypto-Jewish identity, to join me
for the lunch with Carbajal in hopes
that the church leader would have
some helpful leads. After I told her
about the glasses, Seldin’s interest
was further piqued.
The lunch and conversation with
Carbajal was, as expected, wonderful.
After some time to let the green
chile settle, the three of us drove
across town to Belen’s Rio Estates
neighborhood, where we were
greeted in the street by the caller,
Jeanne Sinclair.
Welcoming us into her modest
home, Sinclair carefully produced
See RETURN. . . Page 10
Rabbi to Visit Roswell and Carslbad
Rabbi Stephen Landau
For more information, call the
Jewish Federation of New Mexico
office at (505) 821-3214.

2 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i s h Fe d e r at i o n o f Ne w Me x i c o March 2011
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR
505.232.2325
www.ssdsabq.org
SOLOMON SCHECHTER
DAY SCHOOL OF ALBUQUERQUE
A beneficiary of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico.
Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges & Schools
RACAA Sponsors Community
Purim Celebrations
Link Staff Report
RACAA, the Rabbinical and Cantorial
Association of Albuquerque, is
coordinating community Purim celebrations
open to everyone.
On Saturday, March 19, from 3:30
- 5:30 p.m., Congregation Nahalat
Shalom will host its annual Purim
Party, featuring Cantorial Soloist
Beth Cohen and the Klezmer Band,
a costume parade, Megillah reading
and refreshments. This program is
provided primarily for families with
children and will be open to all.
Beginning with Havdalah at
7:30 pm, Congregations B’nai Israel,
Albert and Nahalat Shalom will host
a Beatlemania Purimspiel at B’nai
Israel. In addition to the traditional
chanting of Megillat Esther, the
program will include dramatic and
funny readings, special congregational
songs and musical adaptations
built around famous music from the
Beatles.
Cantor Barbara Finn of Congregation
Albert is coordinating
the service and Purimspiel. Choir
members and musicians from all
congregations will be participating
By Randi Ya’el Chaikind
The New Mexico Jewish Link
After 25 years of waiting, Rabbi
Yafa Chase will fulfill her dream of
adopting a baby boy from Ethiopia,
with the help of local friend, fellow
rabbi, and internationally renowned
chanting leader Shefa Gold. A fundraiser
is planned for Sunday, March
13, at the Santa Fe Community Yoga
Center from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
All proceeds will benefit the adoption
fund for Chase and her family.
“Shefa’s chanting creates space
for a profound connection to Spirit,
and an opportunity for us to take that
experience back into our lives,” said
Chase. The workshop, “An Exploration
of Gratefulness,” includes
Hebrew chanting, meditation and
holy conversation. No Hebrew skills
are required.
Gold said that participants
will “learn practices that cultivate,
nurture and refine our ability to feel
and express gratefulness.” Gold combines
her grounding in Judaism with
a background in Buddhist, Christian,
Islamic and Native American spiritual
traditions. As a self-described
“spiritual bridge,” Gold’s work celebrates
the paths of shared devotion
among all faiths and observances.
Gold is a long-time resident of Jemez
Springs, N.M.
in the program and chanting the traditional
trope from Megillat Esther.
Rabbis Brin, Flicker, Kantrowitz and
Kosovske will join Finn and Cohen
in leading the service and program.
“RACAA is very pleased to organize
and lead these Purim programs
for our community,” Rabbi Brin,
President of RACAA said. “Hosting
community Purim programming is
a natural expansion of the efforts of
the clergy and our congregations to
provide meaningful Jewish experiences
for our congregants.”
“Purim at each of our congregations
is always a fun experience,”
added Finn. “Joining together as a
community will allow us to share in
our respective energies and talents
to make Purim even more lively and
entertaining.”
In addition to the programs
RACAA is coordinating for Erev
Purim, Congregation Albert will be
hosting a Purim Carnival on Sunday,
March 6 beginning at 11:30 a.m. Congregation
B’nai Israel will be hosting
a Purim Carnival on Sunday, March
20, beginning at 11:30 a.m. The community
is invited to share in both carnivals.
Chanting Workshop to Help
Rabbi Adopt Baby Boy
Congregation B’nai Israel Sisterhood
will honor three of its members
at the Annual Sisterhood Recognition
Brunch on Sunday, March 27.
For many years, Diane Chodorow,
Carol Golden and Karen Hammer
have used their talents in many congregational
and Sisterhood activities.
All serve on the Sisterhood Board in
various offices.
The B’nai Israel Choir, under
the direction of Golden, enhances
the Shabbat and Yom Tov services.
Chodorow, a member of the choir,
often leads religious school students
and congregation members in song.
Hammer, in addition to bringing
Chase works as a community
rabbi for Jewish Family Service of
New Mexico, serving unaffiliated
Jews in hospitals, hospice, senior
centers and in people’s homes in
Santa Fe and across the state. Her
master’s degree and travel experiences
in international and community
development led her to spend the
past several decades birthing nationally
recognized non-profit organizations
that served children and families
in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Israel
and the U.S.
“I’m very excited to have a family
of diversity. I think this is important
for the unfolding of Judaism, and
for the overall evolution of world
consciousness. My family will be
diverse, we will be living that, and
I am hoping that people will see
us and want to adopt themselves!”
said Chase. She hopes to bring a
baby brother home to her 6-year-old
daughter, Ariel, sometime in 2011.
She’s been married to Harley Parry
for eight years.
It costs approximately $30,000
to adopt a baby from Ethiopia. After
years of saving, the Chase-Parry
family has about $10,000 to go before
they can move ahead with Operation
Baby Boy. Suggested donation for the
workshop is $32. In Hebrew gematria,
32, is equivalent to the letters in
the word lev, which means heart.
Sisterhood to Honor Members
innovative programs to Sisterhood,
is called upon for her artistic skills in
creating decorative effects for Sisterhood
and congregation events.
During the program following the
brunch, each will be recognized by a
summary of her accomplishments.
A traditional dairy brunch, prepared
by B’nai Israel Sisterhood
members, will be served at 10:30 a.m.
The cost is $12 per person. To make
reservations, send a check, made
payable to B’nai Israel Sisterhood,
to Beth Stewart, 5301 Calle Nuestra
NW, Albuquerque, 87120, no later
than March 22. For more information
call 994-2776.

March 2011 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i s h Fe d e r at i o n o f Ne w Me x i c o The New Mexico Jewish Link 3
What Your Genes Can Tell You
Link Staff Report
On Sunday, March 27, everyone
can register for genetic testing for
cancer. The vitally important informational
program leading up to this
offer is sponsored by Hadassah of
Greater Albuquerque and Congregation
Albert Sisterhood and held at
Congregation Albert.
This event is of particular importance
to anyone who has ever spoken
the words, “cancer runs in my family.”
We now know that “genetic predisposition”
is the scientific way of saying
“family history” and sometimes it
feels more like a family curse.
Recently, women of Northern
New Mexico discovered their hidden
Jewish heritage because of the genetic
identification of BRCA 1 and 2, the
breast cancers that had been found
to run in many of the families’ histories.
In 1995, researchers at the Hadassah
Medical Organization in Israel
collaborated with researchers at the
National Institutes of Health to publish
its dominant genetics research on the
cancer genes BRCA 1 and BRCA
2 whose mutations are found in the
Jewish community.
It can honestly
be said
that discoveries
like
these would
not have been
possible were
it not for the
consciousness
raising programs
such as
Dr. Barbara
McAneny
this one being offered here, now, in
Albuquerque.
There are two opportunities being
satisfied here: (1) is to contribute to
your future — your children and
grandchildren — having a record of
your family’s genetic health history,
even if you don’t have the health
records of your parents; and (2) you’ll
learn about your genetic predisposition
and if needed, you can learn the
best steps to affect your cancer risk
management.
The featured speaker of the afternoon
will be Dr. Barbara McAneny a
board certified oncologist, hematologist
and internist and CEO of the New
Mexico Cancer Center. She has held
Call for Artists
many positions at the national level,
as well, and currently is a member of
the Board of Trustees of the American
Medical Association and Chair of the
AMA Council on Medical Services.
Her topic will be why genetic
testing is important. Also on the
program will be an associate of
McAneny’s who has trained at City
of Hope and will talk about ways to
manage cancer risks; and an anthropologist
from the University of New
Mexico will speak on the importance
of genetics in the history of humans.
This educational event will take
place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on March
27. The cost including lunch will be
$25 for paid reservations received by
March 15, $30 after March 15 and $35
at the door.
If you have questions regarding
this program, call Linda at 505-350-
4636. For reservations, call Janet at
505-828-1175. Please leave a phone
number and indicate that reservations
are requested.
Because of the importance of
this information and the availability
of testing, we particularly encourage
young women in their 20s, 30s and
40s to attend.
‘The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg’
Link Staff Report
HaMakom, the place for passionate
and progressive Judaism, is
screening the award winning documentary
The Life and Times of Hank
Greenberg on Sunday, March 27 at
3:30 p.m. at the Santa Fe Art Institute,
1600 St. Michaels Drive in Santa Fe.
Hank Greenberg is the story of
an extraordinary baseball player who
transcended religious prejudice to
become an American icon. Detroit
Tiger Hammerin’ Hank’s accomplishments
during the Golden Age of
Baseball rivaled those of Babe Ruth
and Lou Gehrig.
The film examines how America’s
first Jewish baseball star was a
beacon of hope to American Jews
who faced bigotry during the Depression
and World War II. Included
in the colorful collage are interviews
with fans Alan Dershowitz, Congressman
Sander Levin and Senator
Carl Levin; and actors Walter Matthau
and Michael Moriarty.
Winner of numerous awards including
the New York Film Critics
Award for Best Documentary, the
film has received rave views. The
Chicago Tribune called it “an inspiring
story.” The San Francisco Chronicle
said it was “(a) truly wonderful
film-going experience.” The Dallas
Observer called it “engaging.”
The screening will be followed
by a discussion led by author Rabbi
MalkaDrucker, HaMakom’s founding
rabbi. Drucker has written over
20 books for adults and children,
including Tom Seaver: Portrait of a
Pitcher.
Advance tickets are on sale now
for $8 for members, seniors and students
and $10 for all others. Tickets
at the door are $12. To purchase tickets,
or for more information about
HaMakom’s Film Series, visit www.
hamakomtheplace.org or call 505-
Photo courtesy of The National
Center for Jewish Film
992-1905. The Film Series is part of
HaMakom’s Arts and Education Program
and receives support through a
grant from Jewish Federation New
Mexico.
Temple Beth El of Las Cruces
has issued a call for artists for
a juried art show, the
Southwest Jewish Arts Festival, to be held on
Sunday, June 12th, 2011 at Temple Beth El.
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B’nai
Israel
is having a
Purim
Carnival
Sunday March 20, 2011
Reading of the
Megillah at 11:00 am.
Afterwards, the carnival begins
in the synagogue’s social hall
featuring Tall Paul, a jumper,
hamantaschen decorating,
cake walk, face painting,
and many more games.
There will be a
kosher food concession.
The show is open to Jewish artists from
New Mexico and West Texas.
The mediums are painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics,
fiber arts and jewelry. Entry forms can be found at the
Temple website, www.tbelc.org.
You can also call the Temple at 575-524-3380.
Submissions are free and must be postmarked no later
than Friday April 16th , 2011.
They can be mailed to: Temple Beth El,
3980 Sonoma Springs Ave., Las Cruces, NM 88011.
Early bird pricing is $8.00 per person, $15.00 per family.
Your check is your reservation.
Please send to Bnai Israel, Attention: Purim Carnival.
Otherwise, admission is $10.00 per person or $20.00 per family at the door.
4401 Indian School Road NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110-3914 • (505) 266-0155

4 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o March 2011
Opinion
Exodus Deja-vu
Loneliness of the Long-Distance Jew: Part 10
By Sharon Niederman
The New Mexico Jewish Link
In Santa Fe it is snowing tonight.
I am grateful for the essentials of
comfort — heat, light, and takeout
Pad Thai — when so many, from
Taos to Tularosa, lack these basics.
After a week of watching the history
of Egypt unfold — live! — I have
relinquished the compulsion to follow
world events from my living room
sofa and on my MacBook. Despite
the incessant flow of images and
commentary, the truth is not readily
visible.
Although it is snowing, we are
in the midst of our early spring festivals
— Tu bshvat, Purim, and Passover.
With its reliable wisdom, keyed
to nature, the tradition has synched
Publisher: Jewish Federation of New Mexico (JFNM), 821-3214
Editor: Susan Abonyi, 348-4460, fax 821-3351
Email: susan@jewishnewmexico.org
Writers: Randy Ya’el Chaikind, Hank Crane, Sarah Rachel Egelman, Boaz Fletcher,
Amy Hirschberg Lederman, Connie Johnson, Shlomo Karni, Julia Linder Bell,
Sharon Niederman, Lynn Provencio, Sam Sokolove, Schelly Talalaly Dardashti
Photos: Susie Greenberg, Sam Sokolove, Peter Weinreb
Production: Christine Carter, Envision Graphics
Wire service: Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Advertising manager: Anne Grollman, 348-4472, fax 821-3351
E-mail: anne@jewishnewmexico.org
Advertising deadline: The 15th of the month preceding publication.
up the planting and eating of greens
with our archetypal epic of letting go
and starting over.
The irony is not lost. Moses’ call
to pharaoh to “Let my people go!”
resonates with the Tahrir Liberation
Square protestors’ call to Hosni
Mubarak. A new season, and a new
cycle, is unfolding for all the world to
see, in the place of mitzrayim.
As our ancestors, the freed slaves,
wandered in the desert, not knowing
what freedom was or what to expect,
we stand by, watch the drama and
hold our breath, with no way to avoid
the change and no way to control the
outcome. No Moses has yet appeared
to lead the distraught; and there is no
coherent vision of something better
to compensate those who had the
courage to take to the streets.
Exactly two years ago, I visited
Cairo, cruised the Nile, toured the
Temple of Isis and the Valley of the
Kings. I was deeply disoriented by
the sight of the Holy of Holies deep
inside the Temple of Atun at Karnac.
There is no mistaking the resemblance.
When we fled Eygpt, we took
this concept of holy power with us
and made it ours.
I was invited on this trip through
my membership in a professional
writing organization. I had no idea
until I went to Egypt, how anxiety-provoking
it was to travel under
armed guard, to have soldiers with
rifles seated at the front of the bus,
to be firmly told I must stay with
the group at all times, no extraneous
See EXODUS. . . Page 7
“The Link is a community newspaper, published as a
service by the Jewish Federation of New Mexico, that
focuses on Jewish life in New Mexico. It is committed to
seeing Jewish life thrive.”
— Since 1971
Address: The New Mexico Jewish Link,
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
Submission Policy: Letters to the editor, articles, calendar entries or other information
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All letters, readers forums and opinion pieces solely reflect the opinions of the
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Jewish Federation of New Mexico. These serve as a forum for the New Mexico Jewish
community and The Link strongly urges submissions. Send submissions via e-mail
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Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.
Submissions to editor deadline: The 15th of the month preceding publication.
Link advisory committee: Peter Weinreb - chairperson, Merilee Dannemann-
Kamerman, Chuck Paine, Sam Sokolove, Arthur Alpert
The New Mexico Jewish Link is published monthly with a bi-monthly
June/July issue for $36 per year
Postmaster: Send address changes to JFNM,
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109.
WAR from page 1
against Israel. Not only does the IDF
have to be ready to fight a simultaneous
war on several fronts, it must
be able to wage very different kinds
of warfare — from “low intensity”
irregular conflict with terrorists,
to classical conventional warfare
against regular armies, to missile
warfare against states or powerful
non-state actors like Hezbollah.
Even though the threat of terrorist
or missile attack might seem more
imminent, IDF doctrine under Ashkenazi
has put the emphasis on war
between regular armies.
“We must train for classic conventional
warfare. It poses the
biggest challenge, and from it we can
make adaptations to other forms of
warfare, but not vice versa,” Ashkenazi
argued earlier this month at the
11th annual Herzliya Conference on
national, regional and global strategic
issues. “It would be a mistake to
train for low-intensity conflict and
to think that the army will be ready
overnight to make the switch to fullscale
warfare.”
During Ashkenazi’s watch,
which began in 2007 in the wake of
the army’s much-criticized performance
in the 2006 Second Lebanon
War, the IDF focused on enhancing
its already impressive accurate
long-range firepower, rebuilding
its neglected capacity for sweeping
armored maneuvers, and honing
coordination for joint ground, sea and
air strikes. Training on all relevant
parameters was increased by an estimated
200 percent.
According to Ashkenazi, Israel’s
“smart” guided missile firepower
is at the cutting edge, and in some
aspects the IDF may even be a world
leader — for example, in its ability to
pinpoint targets in the heat of battle
and bring lethal fire to bear within
seconds.
Despite the focus on conventional
warfare, the IDF also developed
specific capabilities for terrorist
and missile warfare. This includes
a four-layered anti-missile defense
system starting with the Arrow
missile, which is capable of intercepting
long-range missiles at altitudes
of above 50 miles, to the Iron
Dome system for shooting down lowflying,
short-range rockets.
In any future missile war against
Hezbollah in Lebanon, Ashkenazi
says the IDF will apply conventional
warfare skills, committing ground
forces to attack the enemy in its
embedded positions and considerably
shortening the duration of the
conflict.
Perhaps the most dramatic stride
forward made by the IDF over the
past few years is in field intelligence.
If in 2006, its “bank” of targets in
Lebanon numbered approximately
200, today the figure is in the thousands.
Ashkenazi insists that firepower
is meaningless unless there are
targets of high military value.
“Show me your targets and I will
tell you what your military achievement
will be,” he declared at the Herzliya
Conference.
All this adds up to a military
doctrine that is likely to give the
IDF the capacity to wage different
kinds of warfare simultaneously on
several fronts: the so-called Revolution
in Military Affairs, or RMA.
Israel sees an edge here over potential
foes: While Israel has inculcated
this sophisticated, real-time interoperation
of accurate long-range
firepower, high-grade intelligence,
command and control, and joint
forces operations, its potential adversaries
have not.
For comparison, the largely American-equipped
and -trained Egyptian
army — with some 700,000 troops
(450,000 in the standing army and
about 250,000 reserves), 12 ground
force divisions, and approximately
3,400 tanks and 500 fighter planes
— is considered by far the strongest
in the Arab world. Some of the equipment
is state of the art: Egypt has
about 1,000 Abrams M1 tanks and
just over 200 F-16 fighters.
But the Egyptians have not even
begun to incorporate RMA.
“RMA requires a great deal of
training of a very special kind,”
Yiftah Shapir, director of the Military
Balance Project at the Tel Avivbased
Institute for National Security
Studies, told JTA. “In my view there
are just two armies who have these
capabilities at the highest level: the
U.S. Army and the IDF. And simply
buying the platforms does not give
this kind of capability.”
Indeed, largely because of the
RMA disparity, Shapir says that
in the event of war between Israel
and Egypt, he would expect a result
similar to that achieved by the American
army in Iraq in 2003.
“The American army in Iraq was
not any bigger than Israel’s standing
army. They had only three divisions,
one of which came late,” Shapir
said. “True, their air force was much
bigger, but it was mainly because of
the advantages of RMA that they
defeated an army of 21 divisions in
two weeks. I would expect the IDF to
achieve a similar result, perhaps not
quite so easily or with so few casualties.”
Not that anyone thinks the Egyptians
will be quick to wage war on
Israel or abrogate the peace treaty
between the two countries. If Egypt
did, at the very least it would forfeit
the $1.3 billion it receives in annual
American military aid.
Moreover, to launch a ground war
against Israel, Egypt would have to
order the American-led multinational
peacekeeping force out of Sinai, the
huge buffer zone between the two
countries. That’s something a new
regime would be unlikely to undertake
lightly.
Nevertheless, Israeli generals
already are insisting that in an
increasingly unstable region, they
will need more platforms and more
troops. Otherwise the IDF, fighting
on several fronts, could find itself
overextended.
The change of events in Egypt
portends a major argument in Israel
over increasing the defense budget
here.
To Place a Passover
Greeting in the April
Issue of The Link, please
contact Anne Grollman
at 348-4472 or anne@
jewishnewmexico.org.

March 2011 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i s h Fe d e r at i o n o f Ne w Me x i c o The New Mexico Jewish Link 5
Has Democracy Really
Flowered in the Middle East?
By Boaz Fletcher
The New Mexico Jewish Link
Dear Egyptian rioters, please do
not damage the pyramids. We will not
rebuild. Thank you, Israel. (seen as
Facebook status this week)
This is being written in early February
with a publication date of early
March. Will it still be timely? About
the only thing that is certain is that
by then we’ll know how closely this
article mirrored reality.
By now it’s clear that Hosni
Mubarak was ousted by a relatively
bloodless coup as opposed to the one
that brought him to power 30 years
ago. He may not yet be gone, but at
least there is a time frame for his
departure.
What we remark upon in Israel is
that finally the outside world is coming
to realize that it’s not about Israel. The
regime changes in Egypt, Jordan,
Lebanon and Tunisia are caused by
Egyptians, Hashemites, Lebanese and
Tunisians respectively.
We here in the Zionist entity get
the cold shoulder. It comes as quite a
shock to us as the whole world, The
Whole World, has been telling us for
decades that we are the biggest obstacle
to peace in the whole world. Sorry,
The Whole World.
And yet with the exception of
a few — pardon the expression —
morons who obviously didn’t get the
memo that the Blame It All On The
Zionist Occupation parade had been
rescheduled for a later date and lapsed
into their Pavlovian “Blame It On The
Jews” reaction whenever there is a
CNN camera in their vicinity, everyone
else has come to realize that their
homegrown problems are just that —
home grown.
In Egypt we have seen no signs
blaming their political situation on
Israeli intransigence.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah’s
Link Staff Report
“Peace-building is one person,
one heart at a time… And it’s the only
way. A paper peace, an agreement
between governments for example,
can happen literally overnight. But
peace between people comes slowly,
from relationship building.” –Leah
Green, founder, Compassionate
Listening Project
Creativity for Peace brings young
women from Israel, the West Bank
and Gaza together to get to know one
another, build friendships, heal from
the trauma of war, and learn the skills
they need to be future leaders and
peacemakers.
Since 2003, 162 Jewish, Muslim,
Christian and Druze teenagers have
begun their peacemaking journey
outside Santa Fe with a three-week
summer camp. When they return
home, Creativity for Peace’s staff in
Israel and the Palestinian territory
organize year-round gatherings and
workshops.
Forty girls have made
peacemaking an integral part of their
lives by training as young leaders,
building resiliency, self-awareness and
empowerment and practicing skills
quick slight-of-hand ouster of Hariri
was meant to distract everyone from
upcoming charges against the group
in connection with the elder Hariri’s
assassination. It worked, too.
Tunisians were just fed up with the
governing family stealing their stuff.
King Abdullah II fired the entire
Jordanian government in order to A)
get into the papers since no one was
paying much attention to Jordan, and
B) once again prevent people from
asking the question “What exactly
is a small Sheikdom formerly of the
Arabian Peninsula doing running
Jordan anyway?”
Future historians, probably writing
in Chinese mind you, will note that
the U.S.’s blindingly fast abandonment
of Mubarak truly signaled the
end of the American Empire. For
whatever foreign policy checks the
U.S. has been writing up to now are
clearly NSF, and this is understood
by every (fair-weather) U.S. ally, with
the probable exception of Israel (after
all, we have this special relationship. I
wonder what the U.S.-Israel Facebook
relationship status is?)
As others have noted, what starts
as a citizens’ protest in the Middle East
often does not end up with democracy
springing up everywhere, but creates
an even worse tyranny than existed
before: Iran under the Mullahs, Egypt
under Nasser (and, according to those
camping out in Tahrir Square in
Cairo, Mubarak), Lebanon in all its
political incarnations. Current analytical
thinkers in Israel (who, for some
reason, are all TV and radio news personalities)
are most worried about the
Moslem Brotherhood or some other
Iranian proxy seizing power.
Often cited as a potential Egyptian
President is Mohamed ElBaradei (this
is most often cited by Mohamed ElBaradei),
the former Director General
of the International Atomic Energy
Agency — you know, the guy who
Creativity for Peace Trains
Girls as Peacemakers
such as public speaking and leading
groups. Each year four of these young
leaders come back to camp to work as
junior counselors.
In July, 16 girls will travel 7,000
miles from home to attend camp.
The expenses of two girls, one Jewish
and one Palestinian, will be paid by
a grant from the Jewish Federation of
New Mexico.
The cornerstones of the camp
program are dialogue and art-making.
In dialogue girls share their painful
stories of growing up in violence
and conflict: Amira tells how her
father died trying to get through a
checkpoint; Yael of five relatives
killed in a bombing in a Haifa
restaurant; Farah how her father was
shot by the Israeli army as he stood in
the doorway of his West Bank home;
and Bar of the 17-year-old friend
she lost to a terrorist attack. Healing
begins as girls voice their feelings and
witness the compassion their “enemy”
feels for them.
In art young women work on
individual and group projects in
painting, sculpture and printmaking
that foster self-expression and
collaboration. For three weeks they
live together in a five-bedroom home
couldn’t figure out that Iran is making
The Bomb. The Iranian-backed
Moslem Brotherhood unofficially
supports ElBaradei. Strange that.
We have also seen Amr Moussa,
the Secretary General of the Arab
League (they have awful uniforms
and the League Trophy isn’t much
to speak of), on television proclaiming
his readiness to lead Egypt. Omar
Sharif was also on television from
Cairo, I think because he likes being
on television. However he might be a
good president as he was in the movie
Lawrence of Arabia, and therefore he
probably knows a thing or two about
Arabia. Which is close enough.
Israel will sit and wait to see what
happens, since we will have to deal
with whatever is the end result of this
turmoil. Up to now our perception
of events in Lebanon and Jordan has
been that it won’t affect the status quo.
With the absence of Mubarak in Egypt
that may change.
For the first time in 30 years there
is an Egyptian military presence in
the Sinai (there has always been
an Egyptian Police presence) with
Israeli agreement. Military thinking
has been that the Sinai offers a
large enough buffer in the event of an
Egyptian attack, allowing us to concentrate
on the more volatile northern
border. However it may be that while
Lebanon implodes and once again
turns to internecine warfare a storm
may be brewing in the South.
What no one is saying too loudly
(but rather, softly) is that the U.S. has
lost whatever respectability it may
have had left as a Superpower. The
U.S. and Israel will remain strong
allies for the time being as the allegiance
supersedes political whims,
but I’m sure that somewhere in the
corridors of power, or at least analytical
thought, there are those who question
what the U.S. would really do in
the event Israel came under attack.
Noa (left), a Jewish Israeli, and
Vida, a Palestinian from the West
Bank, at Creativity for Peace’s 2010
summer camp in New Mexico.
where friendships develop through
music, dancing and simply “hanging
out” as a group.
Creativity for Peace girls are
already making a difference at
home. Khadrah, a Palestinian, won a
national writing competition for her
essay about how young women can
help achieve peace; the article was
published in the Israeli newspaper
Ha’aretz.
Baraa, an Arab Israeli, was chosen
as the youth representative of her
village and spoke to 5,000 people
See CREATIVITY . . Page 10
2nd Annual
Community Passover Seder at
Geronimo Restaurant
Traditional Seder Menu, interpreted
by acclaimed Chef Eric DiStefano.
Monday, April 18th
$95 per person, including wine.
505-982-1500
for reservations
Holocaust & Intolerance Museum
of New Mexico
616 Central Avenue SW, Albuquerque NM 87102
2010 Recipient of prestigious New Mexico
Association of Museums Edgar L. Hewett award
We Need
Your Help!
The memory of the Holocaust recedes in time
while denial and hatred are on the rise.
The HOLOCAUST AND INTOLERANCE
MUSEUM has been addressing these issues
since 1998, reaching tens of thousands of
NM students and the general public through
our exhibits and programs.
The Museum is in urgent need of funds to meet our
modest operational expenses of $36,000/year.
We appeal to you to help us keep the Museum alive
and to preserve this valuable educational
resource for the NM Community.
Please make your tax-deductible contribution to:
Holocaust and Intolerance Museum of NM
PO Box 1762
Albuquerque, NM 87103
or pay online at www.nmholocaustmuseum.org
Credit Cards accepted – call 505-247-0606

6 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o March 2011
The Jewish Educational Initiative
(JEI) is a new project led by the
Rabbinical and Cantorial Association
of Albuquerque and the Jewish
Federation of New Mexico. Its goal
is to create increased cooperation
between Jewish organizations so that
adult educational programs can reach
a larger audience.
Congregation Nahalat Shalom
Wednesday, March 2, 9, 16, 23,
30 & April 6: 6 p.m., Sephardic
Topics Class taught by Daniel Diaz-
Huerta. Topic: History of Jews in Sepharad
(Spain and Portugal) from 700
C.E. to Expulsion.
Wednesday, March 2, 9, 16,
23, 30 & April 6: 7 p.m., Beginning
Hebrew Reading and Prayer
Vocabulary taught by Rabbi Deborah
Brin.
Wednesday, March 2, 9m 16m
23m 30 & April 6: 8 p.m., Beginning
Ladino and Spanish Prayer
Vocabulary taught by Daniel Diaz-
Huerta.
Thursday, March 3, 10, 17, 24,
31 & April 7: 6:30 p.m., Explore the
Talmud! Never had an opportunity to
study Talmud? Now’s your chance.
Come and learn with Rabbi Brin and
Rachel Schmitt. The only required
language is English; no knowledge
of Hebrew or Aramaic is necessary.
Classes are free. Donations gladly
accepted.
Friday, March 4, 11, 18, 25:
11:45 a.m., Beyond the Torah Study
CONGREGATIONS
Chabad of New Mexico
Traditional, Rabbi Chaim Schmukler
4000 San Pedro NE, 87109
880-1181, www.chabadnm.org.
Chavurat Hamidbar
The Fellowship of the Desert
Traditional/Egalitarian, 505-345-0296
www.chavurahabq.org
Congregation Albert
Reform, Rabbi Howard A. Kosovske
Cantor Barbara Finn
3800 Louisiana NE, 87110
883-1818, www.congregationalbert.org
Congregation B’nai Israel
Conservative, Rabbi Arthur Flicker
4401 Indian School NE, 87110
266-0155, e-mail: bnai@cybermesa.com
www.bnaiisrael-nm.org
Congregation Nahalat Shalom
Jewish Renewal/Independent
Rabbi Deborah Brin
Cantorial Soloist Beth Cohen
3606 Rio Grande Blvd. NW, 87107
343-8227, www.nahalatshalom.org.
Sephardic New Mexico
In cooperation with the Institute for Jewish
Ideas and Ideals, NYC, a cultural
organization supporting
diversity in the Jewish community.
Advising Rabbi, M.D. Angel
Hazzan, David Ritch de Herrera
P.O. Box 37518, Albuquerque, NM 87176
505-884-4556; e-mail: info@SephardicNM.org
www.SephardicNM.org
Rio Rancho Jewish Center
Conservative
2009 Grande Blvd., Rio Rancho, NM - 892-8511
Temple Beth-El of Carlsbad
1st and 3rd Fridays,
Reform Services, 7 p.m.
1002 North Pate Street
Carlsbad, NM 88220
575-885-3699; 575-887-1229
Group. We are delving into the entire
Bible, book by book. Join us as we
discern the literal, ethical and spiritual
meaning of the great writings
of our ancestors. We are a self-led
group and rely on assorted commentary
as well as our own sensibilities.
No ongoing commitment is required.
Join us every week or as the spirit
moves you.
Wednesday, March 16: “Lift
Up the Spark of the Divine.” Chanting
with Rabbi Shefa Gold. Suggested
$10 donation for Rabbi Gold.
Sephardic New Mexico
First and Third Sundays: 6
p.m., “The Judeo-Spanish and Portuguese
Tradition,” led by Hazzan
de Herrera and Jared de Jong, esq. An
open forum to learn about Judaism in
the Hispanic world and in our community.
There will be food, songs, and
discussion.
Second Sunday: 6 p.m.,
“Mussar: Jewish Ethics at Home
at Work and for Life,” led by Alain
Jackson, Esq. discussing the great
works of Jewish ethics - the Pirke
Avot, Rambam’s Shemoneh Peraqim
and contemporary scholars such as
the rabbis Soloveitchik, Moshe Feinstein,
and Mordechai Kaplan.
Fourth Sunday: 6 p.m., “Conversations
- Jewish Unity in the
Modern World,” led by Hazzan de
Herrera with guest instructor Rabbi
Mordechai Scher of Kol BeRamah
Torah Learning Co-op. An open
forum where Jews of all backgrounds
and observance discuss various topics
like diversity in Judaism, Jewish education,
family and gender issues,
faith, science and the pursuit of truth,
K’lal Yisrael, conversion, return and
belonging.
C-Deep: Center for Devotional
Energy and Ecstatic Practice
Rabbi Shefa Gold
P.O. Box 430, Jemez Springs, NM 87025
505-829-4069,
shefa@windstream.net
www.rabbishefagold.com
Temple Beth-El
Rabbi Paul Citrin
3980 Sonoma Springs Ave.
Las Cruces, NM 88011
575-524-3380 575-521-8111 (fax)
e-mail: admin@tbelc.org, www.tbelc.org
Jewish Community of Las Vegas
c/o Marshall Poole
P.O. Box 970, Las Vegas, NM 87701
505-425-5549
mpoole@usa.net, www.lvjewish.org
Los Alamos Jewish Center
Unaffiliated, Egalitarian
Rabbi Jack Shlachter
2400 Canyon Rd.,
Los Alamos, NM 87544, 505-662-2140
B’nai Israel of Roswell
712 N. Washington
P.O. Box 1153, Roswell, NM 88203
575-625-9883, 575-622-5814
Chabad Jewish Center Of Santa Fe
Traditional
Rabbi Berel Levertov
242 W. San Mateo,
Santa Fe, NM 87505 - 505-983-2000,
www.chabadsantafe.com
Chavurah Kol HaLev
Renewal, Andy Gold - maggid
205 E. Barcelona Rd., upper sanctuary
Santa Fe, NM 87505,
505-982-5768, Santa Fe - 247-3797, Alb.
Congregation Beit Tikva
Traditional Reform
Rabbi Martin Levy
P.O. Box 24094, Santa Fe 87502
2230 Old Pecos Trail,
Santa Fe, 87505
505-820-2991, www.beittikva.info
Holocaust Museum Needs Help to
Continue Important Work
By Susan Abonyi
The Holocaust and Intolerance
Museum of New Mexico, which has
been dedicated to combating hate
and intolerance through education
since its opening in January 2001, is
in need of the community’s help. The
Museum is in urgent need of funds
to meet its operational expenses of
$36,000 per year.
“We have always been able to
raise the necessary monies for the
programs and exhibits we provide
through grants, sponsorships and
donations,” said Andrew Lipman,
president of the Museum. “Our
problem is getting the modest amount
we need for our operation costs. We
have enough saved to survive for
about six months and that’s it.”
Founded by Werner Gellert, a survivor
of the Holocaust, and his wife,
the late Frances “Frankie” Gellert,
the Museum was originally located
at 415 Central NW, Albuquerque.
This past year they relocated to 616
Central Ave. SW, Albuquerque, next
to the El Rey Theater, at which time
they upgraded all their exhibits.
The Historic Rosenwald Building
was purchased with $1.6 million in
State Capital Outlay for the expansion
of the Museum. A lease with
the City of Albuquerque is pending
and is the planned future home of
the Museum.
The Holocaust and Intolerance
Museum of New Mexico is unique in
that it covers many different forms of
intolerance from bullying at school to
the Holocaust, the Nazi persecution
and systematic murder of the Jews.
Exhibits that are currently on
HaMakom
The Place for Passionate and Progressive Judaism
Rabbi Malka Drucker
Hazzan Cindy Freedman
Services and classes at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church
1601 St. Francis Dr., Santa Fe, NM
505-992-1905, www.hamakomtheplace.org
Temple Beth Shalom
Reform, Rabbi Marvin Schwab
205 E. Barcelona Rd.
Santa Fe, 87505
505-982-1376, 505-983-7446 - fax
e-mail:info@sftbs.org; www.sftbs.org
Kol BeRamah Torah
Learning Co-op of Santa Fe
551 W. Cordova Rd., Suite F
505-603-7972
www.kolberamah.org,
email@kolberamah.org
B’nai Shalom Havurah
P.O. Box 161, Taos, NM 87571
505-737-2878
Chabad of Taos
Rabbi Eli Kaminetzky
208 #C Paseo del Canon, Taos, NM 87571
575-751-1323, www.jewishtaos.com
Taos Jewish Center
1335 Gusdorf Road, Suite R,
Taos, NM 87571, 505-758-8615,
e-mail: tjc@newmex.com,
www.taosjewishcenter.org
Congregation Har Shalom
Serving the Four Corners
2537 CR 203
P.O. Box 9199, Durango, CO 81302
970-375-0613, www.harshalomdurango.org.
Temple Aaron
505-445-9026/505-449-9492
Serves NE New Mexico & SE Colorado,
Corner of Third & Maple,
Trinidad, CO
display include: The Holocaust
(Shoah); Native American
persecution; Black slavery
in America; Armenian Genocide;
Greek Genocide; Danish
rescue of Jews; Bulgaria’s
role in the rescue of Jews in
the Holocaust; The Wall of
the Righteous; Nuremberg
Tribunal; Displaced persons
camps; and a Memorial to the
11 million.
The Museum has a library
and research and study center that
houses DVDs, VHS tapes, books and
resources on many topics including
Nazi persecution of Gypsies, homosexuals,
Jehovah’s Witnesses and
others.
Guided tours are held regularly
for the public and schools. “Thousands
of students have come through
the Museum on school trips and
benefited from our exhibits,” said
Lipman. “We also provide teaching
materials to teachers who are interested.”
The Museum has student intern
programs with Amy Biehl High
School and South Valley Academy.
Also, two students — one from high
school and one from college —
recently researched and created the
new exhibit, “Rwanda: The Tolerated
Genocide.”
The Museum recently was the
recipient of the 2010 New Mexico
Association of Museums Edgar L.
Hewett award. The Museum was
nominated by Roxanne Witt Celeskey
of the New Mexico Museum of
Natural History and Science, because
she believes: “[the museum’s] mission
of educating the public about the
impact that persecution on any particular
group has on an entire society
is of critical importance to the community.
I think Albuquerque is fortunate
to have a museum that is dedicated
to combating hate and prejudice
and advocating for peace and
acceptance.”
Lyn Berner, museum staff, said:
“This honor recognizes the efforts
of docents who speak to thousands
of school children and other visitors
each year and the volunteers who
have dedicated so much time and
effort through a variety of projects,
which address the issues of hate and
intolerance.”
In order to keep the Museum alive
and be able to continue educating the
public on the history of persecution
and how the indifference to the persecution
of others always has tragic
consequences, the Museum is asking
the community for their tax-deductible
donations.
Donations can be sent to: Holocaust
and Intolerance Museum of
New Mexico, PO Box 1762, Albuquerque,
NM, 87103; can be paid on
line at www.nmholocaustmuseum.
org; or pay be credit card by calling
505-247-0606.
Pam Ashley, PhD
Full Service Realty
Since 1973
Ashley & Assoc., LTD
505.345.2000
217 Claremont NE
Albuquerque, NM 87107
www.pamashley.com
New Mexico Jewish
Historical Society
Celebrating 25 years
1985 - 2010
Join us for the ride
www.nmjhs.org

March 2011 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o The New Mexico Jewish Link 7
NMJHS Hosts Family History Experts
By Schelly Talalay Dardashti
Isn’t everyone interested in his or
her unique family history? With the
second season of the popular NBC
genealogy television series, Who Do
You Think You Are?more people want
to learn about their families.
Two of genealogy’s most famous
experts — Bennett Greenspan of
FamilyTreeDNA.com and Dr. Stephen
P. Morse of the One-Step pages —
will speak at the Jewish Community
Center in Albuquerque on Sunday,
April 3, from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m., sponsored
by the New Mexico Jewish Historical
Society, which is revitalizing
and expanding its family history programming.
Both men are popular speakers at
U.S. and international family history
conferences.
A life-long genealogy buff —
since elementary school — and entrepreneur,
Greenspan founded FamilyTreeDNA.com
in 2000, turning a
hobby into a full-time vocation. His
efforts and innovation created the
ever-expanding field now known as
genetic genealogy and all its possibilities.
He will speak on discovering
Jewish history through the lens of
DNA testing and address the overlap
between Jewish DNA in Ashkenazi,
Mizrachi and Sephardic populations
and discuss amazing stories that non-
Jews — who have discovered Jewish
ancestry — share with him weekly.
He’ll also discuss the newest test for
finding Jewish relatives.
A native Nebraskan with a University
of Texas B.A., Greenspan has
spent years investigating his maternal
grandfather’s family, an obsession
which led to the founding of
the company and its association with
Arizona Research Labs, led by Dr.
Michael Hammer, a world authority
on Y-DNA genetics.
Founded in 2000, FTDNA is the
largest non-medical DNA testing
company in the world, and includes
other cooperative ventures and its
DNA database is the largest than all
other companies in the genetic genealogy
field.
Steve Morse is the creator of
the One-Step Website, which offers
more than 200 tools for family
history researchers. His work has
been honored with lifetime achievement
and outstanding contribution
awards from several organizations,
such as the Association of Professional
Genealogists, National Genealogical
Society, International Association
of Jewish Genealogical Societies,
and two Polish awards that he
cannot pronounce.
A computer professional with a
Ph.D. in electrical engineering, Morse
has held various research, development
and teaching positions, authored
numerous technical papers, written
four textbooks, and holds four patents.
He is best known as the architect of the
Intel 8086 (the granddaddy of today’s
Pentium processor), which sparked
the PC revolution 30 years ago.
The event is open to the public
and is sponsored by the New Mexico
Jewish Historical Society. Admission:
NMJHS members, free; others,
$5 (which may be applied to NMJHS
membership).
For more information, call
NMJHS president Dorothy Amsden
at 505-662-6398 or send her an email
at president@nmjhs.org.
Israeli Dance Production Comes to Popejoy
By Sarah Rachel Egelman
The New Mexico Jewish Link
The Aluminum Show, an Israeli
dance production, which has garnered
a lot of positive attention around the
world, is coming to Albuquerque’s
Popejoy Hall March 18 and 19.
This unique show was created by
Ilan Azriel who was inspired upon
noticing the number of buildings in
Israel “wrapped” in aluminum. He
described the show as an exciting celebration.
“The Aluminum Show is a
world where humans and machines
meet. During the course of the show,
there is a great deal of curiosity
between the two.” By the end, Azriel
explained, the audience becomes part
of the experience and the “connection
between Man and Machine becomes
a celebration.”
Azriel, the creator and artistic
director of the show, is a trained
dancer who, after dancing with the
Inbal Dance Theater in Tel Aviv and
the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance
Company, decided to establish his
own group, which would use both
dance and puppetry with an emphasis
on “unique choreography.”
The Aluminum Show premiered in
Jerusalem in 2003 at the Israel Festival
and has traveled the world since, and
has been staged in a variety of countries
such as Russia, Nigeria, Turkey,
Holland, Scotland and Greece.
It is returning to the U.S. and Spain
for its current 2011 tour. In it, a young
EXODUS from page 4
exploring allowed.
We went top class, were put up
at a five star international hotel, fed
wonderfully, and served splendid
history by highly informed guides.
As I looked out the windows of my
14th floor room, my attention was
caught by life in the street below.
Camels, donkeys, garbage pickers,
wagons full of junk, outdoor markets
told the story of impoverishment
directly behind our glittering hotel.
A reception was held with a
minister of tourism. He spoke about
Egypt’s desire to encourage tourism,
ignoring the conditions imposed on
us. No Q and A followed his remarks.
If I could not explore on my own, I
could not find a story I wanted to tell.
And why would I encourage anyone
to travel under conditions that spoke
of danger everywhere?
As helpful, educated and professional
as our guides were, I intuited
from their running commentary there
were certain questions I was better
off not asking; and, certain personal
information I had best not share.
The Jewish community in Alexandria
was reduced to a dozen or so;
most of the Cairo Jewish community
had left the country when Mubarak
came to power. Those who remained
did so more or less under cover.
Special connections were needed
to find a Jewish physician, much as
machine, separated from its parents,
travels to another world hoping to be
reunited with them, assisted by a new
human friend.
Using recovered industrial materials
for the set and as costumes, the
show has a unique and compelling
appearance. There is no dialogue; the
story is conveyed through sound and
soundtrack and especially through the
choreography.
The music plays a very important
role in the production, explained
Azriel, “setting the mode for the
message the show is trying to bring
across. The soundtrack works perfectly
with the movements and the
effects on stage to create a full picture
to the audience, and make them move
and have fun.”
Dancers in The Aluminum Show
actually dance inside giant tubes of
venting material, looking like slinkys
coming to life. The effect is magical
and compelling but a challenge for
the dancers.
Azriel said that because the
dancers have to work with such
unusual and difficult materials during
the course of the show, they developed
a “common language to deal
with complexities of the materials”
together with the technical team.
The three scheduled shows in
Albuquerque will be the production’s
first visit to New Mexico and Azriel
said they are excited about it. According
to Azriel, the Israeli audience is
very diverse and loves cultural diversity
and they have appreciated The
Aluminum Show as something new
and unique.
“I’ve traveled around the world
with The Aluminum Show” he continued,
“and have noticed that audiences
around the world respond differently.
In Europe, the audience is
more reserved; in Africa, audiences
showed a great deal of curiosity. In
Latin America they go crazy about
our show; and in America, thus far,
the audience loves the story and
connect to it and really enjoy the
parts where we involve the audience.
It’s enjoyable to see how each
culture responds to the show differently.
The great thing is that no matter
what culture you are from you will
find something unique and intriguing
about this show and I think this
is the secret of its success.”
Azriel said the Albuquerque audience
should expect “to be amazed and
to have fun” by this family friendly
show. He doesn’t want to divulge many
details about the show ahead of time,
however, because it “holds a great deal
of surprises” that he wants theatergoers
to experience first hand.
For a sneak peek of the show
and for more information visit the
website: http://www.aluminum-show.
com/ .
For ticket information, contact
the Popejoy Hall box office at http://
popejoypresents.com/ or 505-277-
3824 Monday through Friday from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
these doctors were highly sought.
With a little 20/20 hindsight, I
could have seen current events as
inevitable. But Tienamin Square and
demonstrations in Iran seemed far
away; unfortunate, tragic, but contained
in their own countries, on the
other side of the world, like all the
wars of my lifetime.
Egypt, not so. No one knows
how this Exodus story, this battle for
freedom, this attempted overthrow
of pharoah, will end. Whether it can
be contained within its own boundaries
seems unlikely. Whether it will
resolve in our favor is completely
unforeseen. All our futures are tied
to the outcome this time.
7 Locations to Serve
You and Your Loved Ones
4310 Sara Rd.
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
892-9920
3113 Carlisle Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87110
884-1188
2400 Southern Blvd.
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
891-9192
717 Stover Ave. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
243-5222
7601 Wyoming Blvd. NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
821-0010
9420 Fourth St. NW
Albuquerque, NM 87114
898-3160
1100 Coal Ave. SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
842-8800
Locations also available in Socorro, Gallup and Farmington
Dedicated room for Traditional Jewish ritual
available at our Wyoming location
Jewish Family Service presents
“The Art of Caring”
Please join Jewish Family Service of New Mexico (JFS) for it’s annual
FUNdraiser, the most fun event you will attend all year!
The JFS Board of Directors is busy planning this event and hope you
will attend. Fittingly named “The Art of Caring”, this year’s event is
being held at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History in Old Town;
Sunday, April 3rd from 6-9PM.
The event includes a gourmet dinner catered
by Jim Schumacher of the Cooperage;
a spectacular silent auction and a lively live
auction hosted once again by David Silverman, Internationally
known performance artist, comedian and auctioneer.
Festivities will include the fabulous Wall of Wine worth
$1000, the amazing Dessert Dash offering beautiful and
delicious cakes from well-known chefs around Albuquerque,
and a Food Frenzy! (not what you think)
Proceeds raised by the event will be used to benefit the many
important programs and services that are offered to families and
seniors in greater Albuquerque and Santa Fe including the Jewish
Community Chaplaincy programs, senior transportation, social
work and housekeeping/companion services, the JFS Food Pantry,
Health and Wellness programs and more!
“This year our annual “Grant a Wish” program is raising money
to purchase a brand new Ford Taurus hybrid for our
Senior Transportation Project”, stated Michael Gemme,
Executive Director of Jewish Family Service. “The STP provides
seniors with door-through-door transportation to medical related
appointments, grocery and/or mall shopping and social activities.
We’re delighted we are able to provide this much needed
service to older adults”, added Michael.
Tickets may be purchased for $90.00 each,
or $850 for a table of 10. For details contact Jewish Family Service
at 505-291-1818 or check the website at www.jfsnm.org.
JFS is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico.

8 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o March 2011
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Parenting & Jewish Values
Listening and Empathizing Key to Parenting
By Julia Linder Bell
The New Mexico Jewish Link
A few months ago, my husband,
Lance, and I were enjoying a beautiful
outdoor lunch at Chabad of Santa Fe.
It was the holiday of Sukkot. Many
people were gathering at the dining
table when I heard a small child
crying. I looked to the head of the
table; Ceryl, Rabbi Levertov’s threeyear-old
daughter, was very upset.
Someone had taken her seat.
I wondered how this father would
handle the situation. Then, Levertov
asked the adult if they wouldn’t mind
moving to accommodate his daughter.
Immediately, the three-year-old
girl looked at her daddy with a big
smile; she felt heard and understood.
Then, she continued to lunch perfectly
behaved and content.
In my mind, something magical
just happened. Levertov exhibited
one of the most important secrets of
parenting; the ability to bond with
your child through the acts of paying
attention, listening and empathizing.
The concept of bonding is an
important aspect of Judaism. It is
found in the Kabbalah as the sefirah
of Yesod. “Yesod, which literally
translates to foundation, includes the
character trait of bonding, which is
the relationship that you create with
your child,” said Levertov. “Furthermore,
it translates spiritual concepts
into actions that unite us with G-d.”
But what does this actually mean?
And how can we as parents turn our
ideas of parenting into actions that
resonate within our children?
Dr. Abraham J. Twerski, author
of Positive Parenting: Develop Your
Child’s Potential, knows that good
parenting begins with the parent. “It
is important to take a personal inventory
of your own behavior,” Twerski
said in a phone interview.
Modeling behavior is absolutely
necessary in parenting. Even before
a child can speak or understand
words they watch and feel what we
are saying through our actions. They
will continue to do this their whole
lives.
First and foremost, we must be
truthful with our own feelings and
make sure our actions and words
equate to each other. “Torah is absolutely
insistent on truth,” Twerski
said.
If you dole out advice to a child
but don’t live the same way, a child
will mimic your actions and not listen
to your words; you will be creating a
weak bond.
For example, if a child loses a
baseball game a parent might say,
“You did your best.” “Don’t worry.”
Yet, when the same parent does not
get a promotion and begins sulking
and acting like this is a disaster,
their child could react the same way
in their own lives. They also may
question the relevance of the parent’s
advice.
“As a parent,” Twerski says,
“you must ask yourself, how do you
handle disappointment, frustration
and sadness?” Do you fly off the
handle, sulk, catastraphize? Or, do
you take a deep breath and understand
that life is full of many different
experiences.
It is how we choose to react that
shapes ourselves, our lives and our
children. We can actually teach our
children to have some control over
situations through how they choose
to react to them.
After thinking about how important
your role as a parent is through
your actions, a great way to create
a strong bond with your child is to
simply spend time with them. Spending
time with your child teaches them
that they are important and builds
their self-esteem.
Setting aside quality time to read
with your child, do art, take a walk,
stop by their school for lunch, watch
the sunset, count the stars, enjoy
dinner as a family or do anything that
you enjoy with them, will strengthen
your bond.
Second, listening to your child
will also enhance your bond. Good
listening means that you are present
Link Staff Report
and making eye contact. If you are
thinking about what happened five
minutes ago or what will happen in
the future, you can not possibly be
paying attention to your child or listening
to what they are saying.
“Although, you can not always
solve your child’s problems, listening
can make them feel loved and
cared for,” Levertov said. “As a result
of this listening, they also will feel
better.”
Finally, learning to empathize
with your child will let them understand
that you care for them and can
be their advocate. For example, if
your child is upset and cries or says,
“I hate you,” it is best not to take this
personally. Instead it is a good opportunity
to check in with them and find
out what they are feeling.
You can say, “You seem upset.
Can you tell me what is going on?”
Identifying what is going on will
bring clarity. Oftentimes, children do
not mean what they are saying they
just don’t know how to express or
identify what is wrong in their world.
Teaching them to express themselves
in a healthy way will allow emotional
growth.
“Parenting may be said to be
absorbing, which means that this
task can be successfully accomplished
only if we create a bond
to it and to the child in a deep and
lasting fashion,” Twerski said. “This
means overcoming immediate frustrations,
setbacks, disappointments
and fatigue. In this sense, parenting
is quite similar to the study of Torah,
which is an encounter with the word
of G-d and it, too, is often fraught
with frustrations, questions and difficulties.
At the same time, learning
opens up to the student delights
that only a fellow learner can understand.”
In essence, Twerski concludes
that, “parenting is a task that demands
the best in us. And at its best becomes
for the parent a stepping stone toward
self-growth and increased closeness
to G-d while creating a lasting bond
with our children.”
Vanessa Paloma to Perform
in Santa Fe
Vanessa Paloma, who is called
“The Nightingale of Jewish Sephardic
Music” in the international
press, comes to Santa Fe in her 2011
concert tour after recent performances
in London, Paris, Zurich,
New York, Minneapolis-St. Paul
and Denver. The concert “The Mountain,
Desert and Pomegranate: Songs
and Stories from Sephardic Life in
Morocco,” will take place on Sunday,
March 13, 2:30 p.m., at the New
Mexico Museum of History Auditorium,
113 Lincoln Ave., Santa Fe.
Her concerts about Jewish life
in Morocco open a door into one of
the last living Jewish communities
in a Muslim land. Paloma, who lives
in Casablanca, performs songs and
dramatic readings about weddings,
brits and other important life events.
She will use traditional costumes and
staging from Morocco.
Paloma is known for the moving
spirituality of her music. National
Public Radio (NPR) says, “Vanessa
Paloma … is a passionate scholar and
Vanessa Paloma
performer of songs from the Sephardic
Diaspora from North Africa
to Turkey …” Hadassah Magazine
says, “Paloma … brings richness of
heritage to her work as an author,
performer, teacher and preserver of
Ladino songs and music.”
Tickets are $15 at the door, $12.50
advanced sales until March 11. For
further information, call 505-820-
0550 or write paloma@gaoninstitute.
org. The event is co-sponsored by
the New Mexico Museum of History,
the New Mexico Jewish Historical
Society and the Gaon Institute.

March 2011 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i s h Fe d e r at i o n o f Ne w Me x i c o The New Mexico Jewish Link 9
City Council Makes Proclamation Regarding Gilad Shalit
The Council of the City of
Albuquerque
February 23, 2011
The following is the official proclamation from the Council of the City of Albuquerque,
declared on Feb. 23, regarding Gilad Shalit.
WHEREAS, Gilad Shalit, a
soldier in the Israeli Defense was
captured in the Gaza Strip by Hamas
and has been held in captivity since;
and
WHEREAS, Hamas has not
allowed Gilad Shalit visits by his
family, humanitarian groups, or
human rights organizations; and
WHEREAS, the 2009 Report
of the United Nations Fact Finding
Mission on the Gaza Conflict concluded
that Gilad Shalit meets the
requirements for prisoner-of-war
status under the Third Geneva Convention
and called for his release on
humanitarian grounds; and
WHEREAS, in the years since
his abduction, there has been an outpouring
of international support for
Gilad Shalit, including New Orleans,
Miami, Minneapolis, Paris, and
Rome naming Gilad Shalit an honorary
citizen of those locales and
the designation of June 25, 2010 as
Gilad Shalit Day in the City of Los
Angeles; and
WHEREAS, on June 24, 2010,
the United States House of Representatives
passed HR 1359, calling
for the immediate and unconditional
release of Gilad Shalit.
BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE
COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING
BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBU-
QUERQUE, HEREBY RECOG-
NIZES GILAD SHALIT AND
STANDS WITH PEOPLE AROUND
THE WORLD CALLING FOR HIS
RELEASE AND SAFE RETURN
TO HIS FAMILY.
Ken Sanchez - District 1
Debbie O’Malley - District 2
Isaac Benton - District 3
Brad Winter - District 4
Dan Lewis - District 5
Rey Garduño,
Vice-President - District 6
Michael D. Cook - District 7
Trudy E. Jones - District 8
Don Harris,
President - District 9
The JCC Eats Up ‘Fried Chicken and Latkes’
By Randi Ya’el Chaikind
The New Mexico Jewish Link
Rain Pryor (center) meets with the students of Hillel at UNM.
Photo by Sam Sokolove
“There I was, this Black and
Jewish kid in Beverly Hills, which
meant I was proud … and yet I felt so
guilty about it!”
So began Rain Pryor’s irreverent
one-woman show, Fried Chicken and
Latkes, about her conflicted and poignant
upbringing as the daughter of
legendary comedian Richard Pryor
and a Jewish mother. A fundraiser for
Hillel at UNM, the sold-out show was
one of the biggest events to date for
the Jewish Federation of New Mexico,
held at the JCC in Albuquerque this
past Jan. 29.
Pryor’s singing and acting talents
showcased her ability to uncannily
morph into the influential characters
of her life, such as her elderly Black
grandmother, a former madam; her
mother, who identifies with being
Black more than being Jewish; her
bubbie, her wealthy Jewish grandmother;
and her dad, who filled Pryor’s
childhood with trips to Europe, multiple
step moms and half-siblings,
drug use, prostitutes and his comedic
genius.
Sara Koplik, Director of Hillel at
UNM, said, “I liked how she spoke
so much Yiddish, and how she was
completely open about personal subjects,
which are normally quite taboo.
I think that she made most of the audience
realize what a normal childhood
they all had!”
Pryor’s search for belonging was
fueled by a strong sense of spirituality.
“Statistically, with my family history, I
should be the celebrity child on drugs
in and out of rehab,” said Pryor. “My
spiritual connection, it’s always been
a part of who I am. I think it’s part of
why I survived my childhood.”
“I don’t believe in God, I believe in
my ancestors. It’s historical, it’s ancestral,
it’s not so much Biblical for me,”
explained Pryor. “I have found more
things answered when I’ve spoken to
my dad or my grandmother than when
I prayed to this thing outside of me
called God. It’s a personal experience
that I’ve seen, that I’ve touched.”
Pryor’s grappling with her identity
reached a balance when she discovered
her Jewish and African-American
heritages shared themes of slavery,
freedom, mysticism and storytelling.
“Take the Tree of Life. I see it
in African-American history, and it’s
the same exact tree in Judaism. It’s all
connected. I see this all as my ancestral
lineage.”
Today Pryor continues the Jewish
traditions of her childhood by lighting
Shabbat candles and celebrating
Passover with her 2-year-old daughter,
Lotus. “By celebrating the Jewish
holidays, I honor my grandparents. If
we Jews got ‘passed over,’ then that
was a moment my ancestors chose to
live, and that decided whether I was
going to be here today. It’s not about
eating matzah; it’s about celebrating
my right to exist. And the same goes
with my African-American ancestors
who were brought here as slaves.”
Pryor’s journey of self-discovery
was a good match for a Hillel fundraiser.
“Young people find Hillel in
many different ways. Some students
were raised with regular synagogue
and religious school attendance, while
others find their own path back to
the faith of their ancestors,” Koplik
commented. “Young people in our
community have layers of identities,
which are precious and enrich all of
our lives.”
A core of Pryor’s performance was
a message about love. “On a personal
note, I found Rain to be a very warm
and kind individual who really cares
about other people,” said Koplik. “I
was impressed by her deep humanity.”
Pryor added, “This show, it’s my
truth, wouldn’t it be weird if I didn’t
say it? If I feel something, I feel it; I
don’t know how to not do this. I’m not
Jewish just because my mom is Jewish.
It’s in my blood; it’s in my DNA, and
now in my daughter’s blood, running
through her.”
Relating a story about her grandfather,
who just “wanted to be a good
Jew,” Pryor continued, “To me, this is
what made us Jews, the fact that we
were nomadic and once strangers in a
strange land. We became this caring,
loving, communal people as a result. It
was about the strength of the whole.”
Connecting with her Jewish experience,
Pryor said, “We need to get
back to the truth of what made us Jews
in the first place, because that’s in our
blood. Jewish community shouldn’t
be so communal that it can’t allow
anyone else into the community, that’s
not what being Jewish is all about.”
With a young daughter to care for,
Pryor decided to step out of show business
and devote herself to her community
as a drama teacher in an inner
city public school in Baltimore, Md.,
where she brings her hard-won inspirational
wisdom to education. “These
kids think theater and life is like The
Wire. They are predominantly African-American
students, and I teach
them that when you know where you
came from, no one else can tell you
who you are.”
Having accomplished her dream of
producing Fried Chicken and Latkes,
next up on Pryor’s dream list is the
creation of a charter school in Baltimore
called CAVA: The Creative Arts
Visionary Academy. This dream is
fast becoming a reality for Pryor, modeling
for her students how to “dream
bigger.”
“It’s the kind of thing where you
can’t sleep at night because the ancestors
are bugging you, saying ‘You have
to do this!’ and I’m saying, ‘I don’t
know how to do this!’ Once I put it
out there, all these people came out
to help. Right now, I’m in the process
of finalizing the Board!”
What is that spark that enables
Rain Pryor to accomplish her dreams?
Strongly influenced by her husband’s
Buddhist practice, she remarked, “It’s
divine, it’s spiritual, it’s being quiet
enough to listen, because I believe that
if you are quiet long enough you’ll get
your answers.”
For more information about Hillel
at UNM, write Sara Koplik at sarakoplik@unmhillel.org
or Hillel House,
1701 Sigma Chi Rd NE, ABQ 87106.
Hillel at the University of New Mexico
provides Jewish students with social,
educational, cultural and religious
experiences that foster Jewish identity,
ideals and spiritual growth. It is a
beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation
of New Mexico.
2011/2012
Pre-School/Summer
Registration

10 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i s h Fe d e r at i o n o f Ne w Me x i c o March 2011
MADELINE DUNN
Associate Broker
Cell: 505.980.2505
Direct: 505.857.2345
Words of Wisdom Never Grow Old
By Amy Hirshberg Lederman
I grew up in a house where words
were the currency by which my brother
and I gained recognition. Unlike most
of our peers, where parental approval
was dished out for things like making
the varsity team or getting straight
A’s, my dad’s highest form of praise
came as a result of the words we used
and how we used them. It’s no surprise,
I suppose, that my brother got
his doctorate in English linguistics
and I make my living as a wordsmith
by writing and teaching.
But I’m not complaining. I absolutely
loved the form and sound of
words as they rolled around in my
mouth. Gargantuan, entropy, neophyte,
sophomoric. Each word offered
worlds of possibilities, in phrases and
sentences I could casually throw out
like confetti at a parade.
I waited for the chance to put my
expanding lexicon into action. When
my brother would relentless tease me,
I would retort with childish indignation:
“What a gargantuan oral cavity
you have!” His response — a silent
slug in the arm — was predictable, but
it was my father’s approving nod from
behind the pages of the Wall Street
Journal that made the sting worthwhile.
In You Can’t Go Home Again,
Thomas Wolfe wrote these powerful
words: “You can’t go back home to
your family, back home to your childhood
... back home to the old forms
and systems of things, which once
seemed everlasting but, which are
changing all the time — back home
to the escapes of time and memory.”
While it’s true that we can’t go
back to the time and places of our
childhood, we can recapture a part of
our youth if we remember the words
of wisdom that our parents shared
with us as we were growing up.
In my home, an abundance of
wisdom was served along with the
four food groups at the dinner table.
When things were going well for my
dad at work, when our family was
happy and healthy, he would look at
us wistfully and say: “If I could only
stop the clock right now…”
When I came come home from
school crying because my glasses
were stolen, or years later, when my
luggage was lost on a trip overseas, he
would calmly remark: “Just remember,
if you have a problem that money
can fix, it’s the best type of problem
to have.”
My mother offered another type of
wisdom that often sounded more like
admonitions than aphorisms. Walking
through Loehman’s she would counsel
me quietly: “You can never be too
rich, too thin or own too many silk
blouses,” a maxim that was lost on a
girl who rejected the establishment
and loved tie-dyed t-shirts.
But there were also extremely
insightful truisms that I think of to
this day, such as the time my mom
looked at me knowingly when I can
home from college and said: “Everyone
has a public life, a private life and
a secret life. You will too.”
Jewish tradition is replete with
wisdom teachings, the most famous
of which is contained in Pirkei Avot,
or Ethics of the Fathers. The sayings
found in this final book of the Mishna
offer moral advice and insights that
are spiritual, practical and timeless.
Over 2,000 years ago, people
needed the same kind of guidance
to navigate the seas of uncertainty as
we do today, which is why Ben Zoma
taught: “Who is wise? He who learns
from every man…Who is a hero? He
who controls his passions.” And why
Rabbi Hillel cautioned: “Don’t judge
your fellowman until you are in his
place…” and reminded us “Don’t say
I will study when I have time, for you
may never find the time.”
I love the wisdom of our sages
that has expanded from generation to
generation and been passed down to
us. From Rashi to Maimonides to the
Baal Shem Tov and Rav Kook, from
Abraham Joshua Heschel to Rabbi
Yitz Greenberg, wisdom teachings
have informed and guided Jewish
living and enhanced our ability to see
beyond the immediacy of our daily
lives.
And whenever I feel upset or frustrated
with what’s going on in my own
life, I remember my father’s words and
am comforted. “This too shall pass,”
he would tell me with an assuring
voice. And in time, it always does.
RETURN from page 1
the four goblets; some slight chips
here and there, some small hairline
cracks, but otherwise in miraculously
good condition for fragile glassware
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that had survived a war, a transcontinental
flight, and at least one move
across the country.
They shined in the afternoon
sun, and Sinclair moved them aside
to make sure they weren’t vulnerable
to the swaying tails of her friendly
housecats.
A retired nurse who had relocated
to Belen from California to
take care of her ailing mother, Sinclair
shared with us black-and-white
photos of herself and her sister as toddlers
in Germany. After we learned
more about her father’s assignment,
the picture that emerged was that of
a German soldier attempting to curry
favor with an American officer with a
young family during the early days of
the Marshall Plan: “May I offer you
and your lovely wife some beautiful
glassware for your dinner table?”
The dreadful origin of this gift
was likely not lost on her father, but
Sinclair doubted that her mother quite
knew what she had been given. In any
case, it was never discussed.
But 63 years later, here we were in
Belen, N.M.: a Christian pastor, two
Jews and a self-professed non-worshiper
with four goblets, most likely
a regular fixture at the Shabbat table
of a long-murdered family whose
name will never be known. Following
a short interview by Seldin, Sinclair
carefully wrapped each fragile
goblet for the trip to Albuquerque.
After she handed the package to
Seldin, Sinclair suddenly burst into
tears. The realization that after so
CREATIVITY from page 5
about the need for young Israelis to
vote their conscience, not just adhere
to their parents’ beliefs.
May, a Jewish Israeli, is studying
Arabic in order to deepen her
relationships with Palestinians.
Mai, who is Jewish and Palestinian,
was selected as one of 60 from more
than 1,000 applicants to attend the
2010 youth summit of global activists
in London and then one of five to
many years these cherished objects
would return to the Jewish community
moved her deeply, as did the memory
of her late mother, who had preserved
them for so long.
As we departed Pastor Barney
offered Sinclair a quiet blessing. We
promised to keep in touch.
Back at the Federation office, I
ran into Susie Sandager, a friend who
has worked tirelessly over the years to
inspire understanding and friendship
between Christians and Jews through
her work with Yad B’ Yad and her performances
as Corrie Ten Boom, the
legendary Dutch Christian who hid
Jews during the darkest days of the
Nazi years.
Amazed by what we had just
brought back from Belen, Sandager
showed the goblets to Hoffmantown
Church members that following
Sunday, props for her lesson on
chesed, using the story of Sinclair’s gift
to illustrate the core virtue of loving
kindness.
For now, the goblets lay ensconced
in bubble wrap in a cardboard box
in my office. After some Ebay and
Google investigations I’ve found
similar glasses, but nothing quite like
these. They may be worth something,
who knows; truthfully, I don’t really
care.
What matters is that Jeanne Sinclair
of Belen, N.M. - compelled by decency,
by the weight of history and perhaps
something more divine — called an
unknown office one February evening
to make a small, perfect gift.
make a presentation at the recent
Global Economic Summit in Davos,
Switzerland.
“The Federation’s support is very
meaningful,” says executive director
Dottie Indyke. “It communicates to
Israeli and Palestinian girls and their
families that Jewish New Mexicans
believe in their leadership potential
and are serious about investing in a
future of peace.”

March 2011 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i s h Fe d e r at i o n o f Ne w Me x i c o The New Mexico Jewish Link 11
‘Iranium’ to be Screened in ABQ
Link Staff Report
Iran’s nuclear program is not an
isolated problem. Rather, it is the
most dangerous component of a
brutal ideology established by Iran’s
leaders during the Islamic revolution
of 1979.
Since the inception of the
Revolution, Iran has committed to
spreading the radical Islamic ideology
with all available resources, and
displayed an absolute hatred for the
West. This extremist worldview is
ingrained in the State’s constitution
and apparatuses, and has been supported
by the actions of the regime’s
leaders.
The new movie Iranium will be
showing free of charge at the Guild
Cinema on Sunday, March 20 at
12:30 pm. The 60-minute film explores
the principles of the regime,
and visually demonstrates the hatred
and violence exhibited by Iran’s
brutal leadership. The film documents
the regime’s abusive treatment
of their once proud citizenry,
and chronicles the regime’s use of
terror proxies abroad to inflict deadly
messages on their self-described
enemies for over 30 years.
All the while Western powers
— and in particular the United
States — have dangerously misread
the intentions of the Iranian regime.
It is for this reason that diplomatic
negotiations with Iran have failed
since 1979.
The Iranian people, hijacked by
a regime that does not represent the
national aspirations of its citizenry,
are now trying to stimulate a new
revolution to force Iran’s leaders
from the seats of dictatorship.
The documentary interviews a
wide range of experts on Iran and
Mid-Eastern affairs. You will hear
from one of the founding members
of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard
and Iranians trying to bring freedom
to Iran. Walid Phares, Dore
Gold, John Bolton, Bernard Lewis,
James Woolsey, U.S. Senators and
Representatives and others share
their knowledge in Iranium.
Iranium is produced by the
Clarion Fund and is being brought
to Albuquerque by the Zionist Organization
of America – NM (ZOA
NM).
For more information, go to
www.iraniumthemovie.com, and
to zoanm.org.
Local Police Officer to Train in Israel
Link Staff Report
The New Mexico ADL Board
of Directors is pleased to announce
that Albuquerque Chief of Police Ray
Schultz has been selected as one of
15 attendees from across the country
for the Anti-Defamation League’s
National Counter-Terrorism Seminar
in Israel from April 9-17.
Organized by ADL, one of the
nation’s most respected authorities
on extremism, hate groups and
terrorism, and one of law enforcement’s
most trusted partners, NCTS
is an intensive training program conducted
in cooperation with the Israel
National Police.
The seminar will provide participants
with the opportunity to
learn counter-terrorism strategies
and tactics, with special emphasis
on suicide bombing, from Israel’s
most experienced commanders,
through presentations and site visits
conducted by senior personnel in the
Israel National Police, intelligence
and security services, and the Israel
Defense Forces. To date, more than
100 senior federal, state and local
law enforcement leaders have participated
in NCTS.
In the last year and a half, the
New Mexico ADL has sent the following
New Mexico leaders to Israel:
Dr. Eliseo “Cheo” Torres, vice president
of Students Affairs at UNM and
Daniel Herrera, editorial editor of the
Albuquerque Journal went on ADL’s
Latino Mission and Jessica Martinez,
UNM Student and Youth president
of LULAC participated in ADL’s
Campus Leadership Mission.
Stop OVERPAYING Your Taxes!
• Unlimited year-round consulting
services included on all tax matters
• Ongoing tax-planning
• Prompt replies to phone calls and emails
• Reasonable fixed-fee pricing
• Free E-filing
Exceptional tax preparation and planning for
individuals and small, locally owned businesses.
Jon Bell, CPA
The Tax Maven
Contact Jon today to receive a FREE no-obligation consultation
505-385-3535 • www.jonbellcpa.com • jonbellcpa@gmail.com
Expand Your Horizons
SummerPrep
2011
June 6 – July 15
More than 80 academic, outdoor,
arts & sports camps for K-12
View the catalog & register online at sandiaprep.org
532 Osuna Rd NE / ABQ • 338.3000 • email: summerprep@sandiaprep.org

12 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o March 2011
Discussing the
Sovereignty of Israel
By Lynn Provencio
The New Mexico Jewish Link
Yishai Fleisher, director of Israel
National Radio, returned to New
Mexico with his Eye on Zion tour
from Feb. 11-13.
The New Mexico tour started on
Friday, Feb. 11, when he led a meditation
before Friday evening services
at Kol BeRamah Beit HaMidrash in
Santa Fe. The turnout was very good.
On Shabbat, Fleisher spoke during
the Kiddush lunch at Kol BeRamah,
to a standing room only audience.
On Sunday, Feb. 13, Fleisher spoke
at UNM to an audience of about 75
students and community members.
UNM Law Student Zack Carpenter
gave the introduction, telling how he
had spoken to Fleisher during the talk
at the JCC in the summer, and how
he had come in discouraged and left
Yishai Fleisher
inspired after talking to Fleisher. He
called for the audience to take action
about Israel and things they cared
about, and not be discouraged.
During his talks, Fleisher spoke
about the current situation in Egypt
See ISRAEL. . . Page 16
JFS Names Bronze Bagel
Award Winner
By Connie Johnson
Jennifer Pretzeus, a Jewish
Family Service of New Mexico
(JFS) Case Manager, was awarded
The Bronze Bagel Award, an
employee recognition program.
Pretzeus has served Albuquerque
and Rio Rancho senior community
members for 17 months
with JFS. Her caring, compassion
and tireless work helping
seniors make her a favorite with
JFS clients and staff members,
and she is regularly recognized
for her work and contributions to
the agency by her peers through
the agency’s monthly “Caught
Doing Good” submissions.
Pretzeus was selected as the
award recipient after receiving
the most nominations from JFS
management and staff. One such
nomination exemplifies comments
from all: “In my experience
with Jennifer she has always
held an extremely positive attitude
and a true dedication to
serving our clients to the best of
her ability. I have heard countless
times of Jennifer’s professionalism
and hard work, and have never
heard a negative comment. She is
a joy to work with and brightens
the office. She goes above and
beyond the call of duty and is
always willing to listen and be
flexible. It is a true pleasure to
have Jennifer at JFS!” Marica
Martinic, Wellness Manager.
Jennifer Pretzeus
Originally from Ohio, Pretzeus
and her husband, Patrick, moved
to New Mexico about five years
ago after living in Chicago for
15 years. They were ready for
See WINNER. . . Page 14
The
LINK
Invitations
Bar & Bat
Mitzvah
Save the Date
Graduation
CATERING
Gourmet to Go - 880-0057 / 804-8000
For ALL your catering needs!
Strictly Kosher catering available.
Corporate events, Bar/Bat mitzvahs, weddings
You name it, we cater it!
www.gourmet2goabq.com
UNIQUE GIFT FOR ALL OCCASIONS
Surprise Family and friends with the gift
of MONEY coming out of a cake!
Order THE MONEY CAKE KIT @
www.themoneycake.com or 400.5042
For all your party
planning needs
PATISSERIE C
Creative Cakes & Cookies
Custom Gourmet Cakes for All Occasions
Open By Appointment
Online Ordering
www.PatisserieC.com
505.247.3131
SAVORY FARE BAKERY AND CÁFE 7400
Montgomery NE; • 884-8514
Catering: 872-2820
Bar & Bat Mitzvahs, weddings, holiday
celebrations and other special occasions.
We will make your simcha special.
HOMEWOOD SUITES
BY HILTON ABQ UPTOWN
Anne Shoemaker, Director of Sales
7101 Arvada Ave NE, Albq 87110
505-881-7300 ext 5003
Great Rates for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs!
Wedding
505.888.3500
www.AAAExpressPrinting.com
4505 Menaul Blvd, Abq, NM 87110
SPECIAL OFFER for PROFESSIONALS
For only $220/year you can be listed in
The Link’s Professional Directory or Party Link
and on our Web site . . .
(Price not valid for larger display ads)
PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY/PARTY LINK APPLICATION
Standard ad cost: $ 220.00 Tax (7.0%) $15.40
Total $235.40
Beginning in the March Link, logos or photos can be added to Professional Directory ads.
The ad size is 2.4” wide x 1.125” tall, which includes the category header. Please keep artwork simple for clarity,
and artwork will be sized accordingly to fit the ad space available. Prices remain the same and you can make changes
to an existing contract. Advertising Commitment one year/11 issues. Advance payment required annually.
Email directory listings to anne@jewishnewmexico.org
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March 2011 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o The New Mexico Jewish Link 13
Professional Services
Directory
ACUPUNCTURE
ALLERGY • IMMUNOLOGY • ASTHMA
ARCHITECTS
ART & FRAMING
Diane Polasky, MA, DOM, Dipl. Ac., DAAPM
Center for Holistic Health, 505-298-7371
Acute & Chronic Disorders & Injuries
9412 Indian School Rd. NE,
Albuquerque 87112
Bruce H. Feldman, M.D., 265-6782
Board Certified in Allergy, Internal Med.
Karen K. Nester, PA-C
Amber L. West, PA-C
Allergy, Immunology & Asthma Care
Lee Gamelsky Architects P.C.
Lee Gamelsky AIA, LEED AP
Architecture • Planning • Interiors
Residential • Retail • Medical • Office
Sustainable • Inspiring Design
Weems Galleries and Framing
Always the Best Art – Always the Best
Prices! Representing 200+ Artisans
Montgomery & Louisiana 293-6133
Plaza Don Luis – Old Town 764-0302
ATTORNEYS
Jon A. Feder
Atkinson & Kelsey, P.A., 505-883-3070
Cert. Specialist: Divorce & Family Law
Trained collaborative divorce attorney
Most experienced NM family law firm
ATTORNEYS
Jeffrey Diamond Law Firm
Personal Injury, Social Security Disability
Albuquerque Office: 881-6500
Carlsbad, Roswell, Odessa, TX Offices:
1-800-722—0927
ATTORNEYS
Jan B. Gilman-Tepper - 505-246-0500
Representing select clients
in complex family law matters
Cert. Specialist: Divorce/Family Law
Little, Gilman-Tepper & Batley, P.A.
lgtfamilylaw.com
ATTORNEYS
Richard P. Jacobs
881-4388
Personal Injury, Automobile Accidents and
Wrongful Death, 4004 Carlisle Blvd. NE
Suite D, Albuquerque, NM 87107
ATTORNEYS
ATTORNEYS
ATTORNEYS
BOOKKEEPING
Mark S. Jaffe, 242-9311
The Jaffe Law Firm
320 Gold SW, Suite 1300
Personal Injury, Civil Litigation,
Consumer Rights
Lynn Yael McKeever, Esq.
Resolving and Preventing Problems
Wills, Trusts, Estates, & LLCs
www.lynnmckeever.com
505-991-1948
Deborah A. Peacock, P.E. 998-1501
Peacock Myers, P.C.
Intellectual Property Law Services
Technology Commercialization
201 Third Street NW, #1340, Albuquerque
Le Rose Enterprises
271-2760
Full charge bookkeeping
including payroll,
Business or personal, Bonded
BRIS
CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
COUNSELORS • THERAPY
DENTISTS
Gwenn Robinson M.D. - Mohelet
Certified by
the Berit Mila
Board of Reform Judaism
821-2985
Jon Bell CPA MACCT “The Tax Maven”
Tax preparation • Business consulting
Incorporations • Reasonable, fixed fees
Call for complimentary consultation
jonbellcpa@gmail.com • 505-385-3535
Gail Feldman Ph.D., LLC
Clinical Psychologist and Life Coach
2700 Vista Grande NW #86
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87120
833-5846, www.gailfeldman.com
Robert Lash, D.D.S., P.C.
Practice Limited to Endodontics
(Root Canal Therapy)
10409 Montgomery Pkwy NE, Suite 100
Albuquerque, 87111, 291-8630
DENTISTS
Rachelle Shaw, D.D.S., P.C.
Pediatric Dentistry - Infants, Children & Teenagers
4620 #C Jefferson Lane NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
888-3520
DERMATOLOGY
Janice F. Moranz, M.D.
Dermatology/Nutritional
Supplements/Skin Care
6409-A Candelaria Rd. NE, Albuq. 87110
505-880-1920
ELDERCARE SERVICES
Decades, LLC
505-345-5529, 866-913-5742
Medical Advocacy and Financial Management
ASSESSMENTS/PLANNING/OVERSIGHT
www.decadesgroup.com
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Publications
Advertising
Flyers
505.573.6168
www.envisiongraphicsnm.com
HEALTHY LIVING/ORGANIZING
HOUSECLEANING
MEDICAL SPA
MIND/BODY WELLNESS
Practical Support for Home or Office
Vegetarian Chef, Teacher, Organizer
Nutrition Counseling, Meal Planning
Yoga, Fitness, Misc Projects 814-4900
Satisfaction Guaranteed • Regular Service or As Needed
Call 881-8233 for a Free Estimate
www.minimaidabq.com Since 1976
Victor Mancha, M.D.
Cosmetic Dermatology Services
Paseo del Norte & Holbrook
505-821-9630 www.alluraderm.com
COACHING & TRAINING
Mindy Caplan
505-453-7200
Lifestyle & Weight Management
ACSM Certified, over 25 years experience
OPTICAL
Muller Optical,Inc
Full Service Eyewear
9000 Menaul NE(Menaul at Moon) 296-8187
Specializing in Complex Prescriptions
Custom Glasses for Difficult Vision Problems
PHYSICIANS
Edward J. Atler M.D., 724-4300
New Mexico Orthopaedics
Sports Injuries, Arthritis, Arthroscopy,
Joint Replacement, Fractures
201 Cedar SE, Ste. 6600, Albuquerque 87106
PHYSICIANS
David Bernstein M.D.
724-4300
Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery
New Mexico Orthopaedic Associates
201 Cedar St. SE, Albuquerque, 87102
PLUMBING & HEATING
Steward’s Plumbing, Inc.
293-3360
“When Extra Care is Needed”
All types of plumbing, heating, and sewer work
www.stewardsplumbing.com/web
PROSTHETIC • ORTHOPAIEDIC APPLIANCES
Samuel Weisberg Prosthetics
Ultralite, State-of-Art Prosthetics,Biomechanical Orthotics,
Sports Related Braces, Custom Fabrication
1018 Coal Ave. SE, ABQ, NM 87106
248-0303 FAX 248-1611
REAL ESTATE
Pam Ashley
505-345-2000
Full service realty since 1973
Ashley and Associates Ltd.
217 Claremont NE – www.pamashley.com
REAL ESTATE
HERE’S TO YOUR NEXT DUNN DEAL
(505) 980-2505 • (505) 828-1000
www.MadelineDunn.com
Madeline Sells
NM Homes
SENIOR HEALTHCARE SERVICES
Hospice de la Luz
505-217-2490
Lynnette Wallner RN, Owner/Clinical Director
Nurse owned, high quality end of life care.
www.hospicedelaluz.com
SOFTWARE
Stone Design
www.stone.com
Stone works suite for the Mac
Design, publish to web & print, bill
Free upgrades “For Life!” 345-4800
SPAS
Betty’s Bath & Day Spa, 505-341-3456
ABQ’s only soak, relaxation & wellness spa
Offering massage, facials
& restorative treatments & products.
Instant on-line gift certificates available
www.bettysbath.com
TUTORING
Anita Shenkman
MS/Learning Specialist
Tutoring/Study Strategies/Consulting
Training/Coaching/Organizational Skills
Pre-School - Adult, 265-1659
VACUUM & SEWING
Abbey Lane
9800-6 Montgomery Blvd., 323-4465
Quality Miele & American-made Riccar vacuums.
Elite Baby Lock sewing machine dealer.
Repairs and supplies for all brands.
For rates and information on how your business can join the professionals on these pages,
contact Advertising Manager Anne Grollman at 505-348-4472 or email her at anne@jewishnewmexico.org
Beginning in the March Link, logos or photos can be added to Professional Directory ads. The ad size is 2.4” wide x 1.125” tall, which includes the category header.
Please keep artwork simple for clarity, and artwork will be sized accordingly to fit the ad space available. Prices remain the same and you can make changes to an existing contract.

14 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o March 2011
B’nai Mitzvah
Tauby Dolev Allen Mintz
March 5, 2011
Chavurat Hamidbar
I am an eighth grader at Southwest
Secondary Learning Center. I
enjoy playing piano, singing, acting
and reading fiction. I am involved
in my school as a member of the
student council and as a participant
in a variety of literary recitations
and competitions. I played volley
ball for my school last spring, and
I look forward to playing again this
spring.
I volunteer at the Juan Tabo Public
Library once a week. I donated eleven
inches of my hair to make wigs for
children with cancer, and I plan to
do that again. I am also a member
of B’nai B’rith Girls, and I attend
I am a seventh grader at El
Dorado Community School in Santa
Fe. I enjoy skiing, playing piano
and guitar, writing, climbing, riding
horses, fishing, martial arts, learning
languages and traveling.
I have three tzedakah projects. 1)
WINNER from page 12
a major change, including better
weather and the natural beauty New
Mexico offered.
Pretzeus is very active and creative
and can frequently be found
hiking through the Sandias or doing
Yoga, and more recently taking
horseback riding lessons. She also
enjoys more relaxing pursuits such
Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
P.O. Box 21639, ABQ, NM 87154
Susan Seligman, 823-2712
fax: 823-0887
The DVora Project
Shedding light on domestic violence
For help, call Diane at 362-3361,
or 1-800-773-3645 (The S.A.F.E.
House 24 hour hotline and shelter).
Co-sponsored by JFNM and JFS.
Hadassah of Greater Albuquerque
Contact Doris Taylor, 867-5043
www.albuquerque.hadassah.org
Hillel at UNM
Aaron David Bram Hillel House
1701 Sigma Chi NE, ABQ, NM 87106,
Dr. Sara Koplik, executive director, 242-1127
Holocaust & Intolerance Museum of New Mexico
616 Central Ave. SW
Lyn Berner, 247-0606
Jewish Arts and Culture Group
of Santa Fe
c/o Lee Berk
3101 Old Pecos Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87505
505-988-1326, Lee217@comcast.net
Jewish Community Center
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, 332-0565
Executive Director: Jay Jacobs
Jewish Community Relations Council c/o JFNM
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE 821-3214
Jewish Education Alliance
Contact Kathryn Weil, 232-2325
Jewish Community Endowment
Foundation of NM (JCEF)
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE
contact: Erika Rimson 505-821-3214
Website: www.jewishnewmexico.org
Camp Young Judaea Midwest in the
summer.
Please join my family as I am
called to the Torah as a Bat Mitzvah
on Shabbat Shekalim at Los Poblanos
Inn.
Rayne Nichols
Edelbrock
March 12, 2011
Temple Beth Shalom
Santa Fe
I am sending money to my “adopted”
little brother, Syabudin, a Muslim
boy sponsored through Plan B. He
and his family live in a small village
in Indonesia; 2) I volunteer at the
Santa Fe Children’s Museum; 3) the
Bronfman Youth Fellowship in Israel
for young people from every kind of
Jewish background.
My mother and father, Anna
Rayne-Levi and Kurt Edelbrock,
invite you to join us as I celebrate
becoming a bar mitzvah and chant
Parshat Va Yikra.
as painting and art classes.
When asked about working for
JFS, Pretzeus said she loves that her
job directly supports the mission of
the case management program to
keep seniors “Aging Well at Home”
instead of being institutionalized or
forced to move into a family member’s
extra bedroom.
JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
Jewish Family Service (JFS)
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, 291-1818
• Chevre Kaddisha
Jewish Burial Society
• Jewish Community Chaplaincy Program
Rabbi Min Kantrowitz
Pastoral counseling and support; hospital,
nursing home, hospice visits and grief group.
• David Specter Shalom House
5500 Wyoming Blvd. NE
building manager, 823-1433
Social Services, Carrie Hamilton,
823-1434
Jewish Federation of New Mexico (JFNM)
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE
821-3214
Executive Director: Sam Sokolove
Jewish War Veterans (JWV)
ABQ Steve Schiff Post 375:Cmdr.,
Vern Lieberman, 294-7379;
Rio Rancho Post Cmdr.,
Edward Cohen, 891-1742
New Mexico Jewish Historical Society
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, 348-4471
ORT Organization for
Rehabilitation and Training
Betty Harvie, 344-1644
Solomon Schechter Day School
5520-A Wyoming Blvd. NE,
Head of School: Kathryn Weil
232-2325
Zionist Organization of America ZOA NM
P.O. Box 3963, Albuquerque, NM 87190
contact: Lynn Provencio
505-340-6675
email: info@zoanm.org
Website: http://zoanm.org
Candlelighting
Schedule
MARCH
Community Calendar
March 4 ........5:47 p.m.
March 11 ......5:53 p.m.
March 18 .......6:59 p.m.
March 25 .......7:04 p.m.
April 17 ............10 p.m.
2 WEDNESDAY
■ JCC’s Wonderful Wednesdays program
will feature Rabbi Howard Kosovske speaking
on “Purim: To Drink or Not to Drink,”
at 11 a.m.
3 THURSDAY
■ Keshet Dance Company will perform Ani
Ma’amin at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las
Cruces, 8 p.m. For more information, visit
www.keshetdance.org.
5 SATURDAY
■ Keshet Dance Company will perform Ani
Ma’amin at the North Fourth Art Center in
Albuquerque, 8 p.m. For more information,
visit www.keshetdance.org.
6 SUNDAY
■ Congregation Albert’s Purim Carnival
will begin at 11:30 a.m. See page 2.
■ Keshet Dance Company will perform Ani
Ma’amin at the North Fourth Art Center in
Albuquerque, 2 p.m. For more information,
visit www.keshetdance.org.
7 MONDAY
■ Congregation Nahalat Shalom will host
a free introduction to Laughter Yoga with
laughter therapist Betty Finney. The event
starts at 7 p.m. For more information, contact
Rebecca Wood at 907-7754 or well@
welovelaughter.com.
■ Chabad of New Mexico, 4000 San Pedro
NE, will host Chana Sharfstein speaking on
“The Power of Positive Thinking.” The event
will begin at 7 p.m. The cost is $5 and will
include soup and salad buffet. For more information
or to RSVP, call 880-1181 or visit
www.chabadnm.org.
8 TUESDAY
■ The Hadassah Book Discussion Group
will feature Judith Bernstein reviewing “The
Help,” by Kathryn Stockett. The event will
take place at Congregation Albert and begin
at 1 p.m. The cost is $4. For more information,
contact Barbara Waserman at 275-9937,
wasermanb@yahoo.com or Judy Kaplan at
292-7740, jekaplan@msn.com.
■ Congregation Nahalat Shalom will host
a free introduction to Laughter Yoga with
laughter therapist Betty Finney. The event
starts at 9 a.m. For more information, contact
Rebecca Wood at 907-7754 or well@
welovelaughter.com.
9 WEDNESDAY
■ JCC’s Wonderful Wednesdays program
will host a field trip to the UNM Art Museum
to view the exhibit, “Frieda Dickl Brandeis
Art by children of Terezin.” For more information,
call Phyllis Wolf at 348-4500.
■ Congregation Nahalat Shalom will host
a free introduction to Laughter Yoga with
laughter therapist Betty Finney. The event
starts at 9 a.m. For more information, contact
Rebecca Wood at 907-7754 or well@
welovelaughter.com.
13 SUNDAY
■ Chanting workshop held by Rabbi Shefa
Gold as a fundraiser for Rabbi Yafa Chase
will begin at 1:30 p.m. See page 2.
■ Vanessa Paloma will perform in Santa
Fe at the NM Museum of History, 2:30
p.m. See page 8.
16 WEDNESDAY
■ JCC’s Wonderful Wednesday program
will host a field trip to Corrales – Casa San
Ysidro for a tour and lunch. For more information,
call Phyllis Wolf at 348-4500.
17 THURSDAY
■ Anne McGoey will teach a class, “Passover
Seder as a Wellness Journey,” for Ha-
Makom Continuing Education, beginning at
7 p.m. The class will be held at RainbowVision,
500 Rodeo Rd., Santa Fe. Suggested
donations: $5/members,seniors and students;
$10/non-members. For more information,
call 505-9921905.
18 FRIDAY
■ The Israeli dance production of “The
Aluminum Show” will be at Popejoy Hall.
See page 7.
19 SATURDAY
■ Congregation Nahalat Shalom will host
a Purim Party, 3:30 p.m. and Congregation
B’nai Israel will host a Purimspiel, 7:30 p.m.
See page 2.
■ The Israeli dance production of “The
Aluminum Show” will be at Popejoy Hall.
See page 7.
20 SUNDAY
■ Congregation B’nai Israel’s Purim Carnival
will begin at 11:30 a.m. See page 2.
■ The movie “Iranium” will be screened at
the Guild Cinema, 12:30 p.m. See page 11.
24 THURSDAY
■ Congregation Albert’s Open Mind lunch
will feature Rabbi Howard Kosovske speaking
on “Thinking Positively When the Sky
is Falling.” The event begins at noon and is
$4 including a light lunch. For more information
or to RSVP, call Janice at 821-9302
or Pearl at 344-8508.
■ Mayor Richard Berry will hold a Townhall
meeting at the JCC on his recent trip to
Israel, 7 p.m. See page 15.
25 FRIDAY
■ The new Jewish community of Rio Rancho
will host a Kabbalat Shabbat led by Rabbi
Stephen Landau beginning at 7 p.m. It will
take place at the Inn at Rio Rancho, Sunset
Room, 1465 Rio Rancho Dr. SE. For more
information, contact Rabbi Landau at landau.stephen@gmail.com
or 235-2940.
27 SUNDAY
■ Hadassah Education Day will be held at
Congregation Albert beginning at 9 a.m.
See page 3.
■ Congregation B’nai Israel Sisterhood Recognition
Brunch will begin at 10:30 a.m.
See page 2.
■ The screening of “The Life and Times of
Hank Greenberg,” will be held at the Santa
Fe Art Institute, 3:30 p.m. See page 3.
APRIL
3 SUNDAY
■ Genealogy experts will speak at a New
Mexico Jewish Historical Society event, 11
a.m. See page 7.
■ Jewish Family Service of New Mexico
will host their annual fundraiser, “The Art
of Caring,” to benefit the many programs
and services that JFS offers to serve families
and seniors in need. Held this year at
the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History,
2000 Mountain Rd. NW, the event includes
dinner, a silent and live auction with
David Silverman, internationally known
performance auctioneer; the Wall of Wine;
Dessert Dash, and more. For ticket information,
contact JFS at 291-1818 or visit
www.jfsnm.org.
ONGOING
■ Sundays: JCC Book Club for everyone
who enjoys reading and discussing books.
Led by Book Club members on a rotating
basis, 5:30 p.m. in the Brody Lounge.
For further information, call Phyllis Wolf
at 348-4450.
■ Sundays: The Jewish War Veterans hold
their monthly breakfast on the fourth Sunday
of each month. For monthly locations
and times, call Saul at 505-299-6043.
■ Tuesdays: Mah Jongg Club in the JCC
Brody Lounge from 7 - 9 p.m. Free for everyone.
■ Wednesdays: JCC Wonderful Wednesdays,
an all day program for seniors meets
the first three Wednesdays of each month
at 10 a.m. at the JCC. “Schmooze and
nosh” hour, followed by “Forever Fit,” a
low level impact exercise class. Spend the
afternoon playing games of Canasta, Mah
Jongg and Bridge. Cost for event: $8. The
fourth Wednesday is “No Host Wednesday”
where you can bring your lunch, buy
from the café, watch TV, use the library,
play games, etc. For more information, call
Phyllis Wolf at 348-4500.
■ Wednesdays: Grief and Loss Support
Group led by Chaplain Linda Friedman at
the Meadowlark Senior Center in Rio Rancho
from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m., and from 12 –
1 p.m. It is open to all people who are experiencing
any kind of loss. Membership
in the Senior Center is required, but membership
is free.
■ Thursdays: SANTA FE — The Tikkun
Community of Santa Fe, Jews and Jewish
allies, meet at 7 p.m. at Temple Beth Shalom,
205 E. Barcelona Rd. to work towards
finding peace in the Middle East.
■ Fridays: Grief and Loss Support Group
led by Rabbi Min Kantrowitz at the JCC
from 12 – 1 p.m. It is open to all people who
are experiencing any kind of loss.
■ Gay and Lesbian Jewish Chavurah (Circle
of Friends) meets monthly for Shabbat
potluck dinners. For more information, call
Linda at 352-2623.
■ The DVora Healing Project sponsors
free meetings for victims and survivors of
domestic violence. Rabbi Min Kantrowitz
facilitator. For more information, call Diane
at 362-3361 or the Jewish Federation
of New Mexico at 821-3214.
R Riverside______
“Affordable Dignity”
Funeral Home
Meeting the Needs of the Jewish Community
Traditional Service $2695.00
(includes Tahara Room, shroud, orthodox casket, stationary, candle, Sunday services)
Charles M. Finegan Funeral Director/owner 225 San Mateo Blvd. NE
James J. Edwards, CFSP, Senior Director Albuquerque, NM 87108 764-9663

March 2011 A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i S h fe d e r At i o n o f ne w Me x i c o The New Mexico Jewish Link 15
FOCUS ON FEDERATION
The Minor Prophets: Nahum, Habakkuk
By Shlomo Karni
The book of Nahum (“consoled”
in Hebrew) begins with: “A pronouncement
on Nineveh, the Book
of the Prophecy of Nahum the Elkoshite.”
(1:1). There is no father’s name,
no king’s name to provide a timeframe
— and scholars cannot agree on the
location of the town of Elkosh.
The three chapters of the book
describe the destruction of Nineveh,
the seat of the great kingdom of
Assyria, by the armies of Babylon
and Mede in 612 B.C.E.; it is therefore
reasonable to assume that these
prophecies were written during that
period. Nahum sees that destruction
as God’s punishment to the “city of
crime, utterly treacherous, full of
violence” (3:1) for all its past cruelties
to Judea and to the neighboring
nations. He compares this destruction
to that of No-Ammon (3:8), the
ancient capital of Egypt, sacked by
the Assyrians earlier in 663 B.C.E.
Some of Nahum’s language shows
the influence of earlier prophets,
notably Isaiah. On the other hand,
his independence is clearly seen in
such terse and intense poetic expressions
as, “Nineveh has been like a
[placid] pool of water…Now they
flee, ‘Stop! Stop!’ But none can
turn back. ‘Plunder silver! Plunder
gold!’ There is no limit to the treasures.”(2:9-10).
Historically, the fall of Nineveh
marked the beginning of the end of
Assyria. Its last king, Assyr-Oblit,
escaped and regrouped his armies.
However, in 605 B.C.E., he was
totally defeated by Nebuchadnezzar,
the Babylonian king who later
also destroyed and exiled Judea in
586 B.C.E.
We know even less about Habakkuk.
The book opens with just the
sentence, “The pronouncement made
by the prophet Habakkuk,” giving
no other information. Its three chapters
deal with the basic theological
problem of the suffering of the
righteous, and mention the rise of
Chaldea (Babylon) in 612 B.C.E. We
could, then, surmise that Habakkuk
was a contemporary of Nahum and
Jeremiah.
Because the third chapter is in
the form of a psalm of praises, some
scholars suggest that Habakkuk was
a Levite, singing in the choir of the
Temple. The name itself appears
nowhere else in the Bible, and is probably
derived from the Hebrew root
h-b-k, meaning “embrace.”
In chapter one, Haba k kuk
deplores the rise of evil and injustice,
and implores God, “How long,
O Lord, shall I cry out and You not
listen, I shout to You ‘Violence!’ and
You not save? Strife and violence continue,
justice never emerges.”(1:1-4).
Then comes the loud, painful
outcry, “You, whose eyes are too pure
to look upon evil, stand by idle while
the one in the wrong devours the one
in the right!” (1:13).
God’s reply opens chapter 2:
“Write down the prophecy, a truthful
witness for a time that will come.
Even if it tarries, wait for it still,
because surely it will come. Lo, there
is a reward for the upright, the breath
life within him, and the just shall live
by his faith.”(2:2-4).
That last statement, “The just
shall live by his faith”, was seen by
our Talmud sages as the absolute, distilled
essence of all the Commandments:
“Moses received 613 commandments,
David reduced them to
11, Isaiah – to six, Micha – to three
[see last month’s column], Isaiah
again – to two; then came Habakkuk
and reduced them to a single one.”
(Talmud, tractate Makkot).
Indeed, a profound and brilliant
prescription for a good life.
WHAT from page 1
teens looking to attend a retreat or
conference through their congregation
or youth group.
Looking north, the Taos Jewish
Center is able to continue their
acclaimed education program. In
Santa Fe, Kol BeRamah has support
for two scholar-in-residence weekends
and HaMakom is proceeding with an
Arts and Education Program (HAEP)
Club.
To explore the needs and interests
of the Jewish community west of
Albuquerque, the JFNM has established
a “Brunch & Learn” program
in Rio Rancho. To date, three successful
programs have been held under
the leadership of an active planning
committee. On March 25, a Shabbat
program with Rabbi Stephen Landau
will be held at Casa De Shalom in Rio
Rancho in order to help meet further
community spiritual interests.
In order to engage the next generation
of Jews, JFNM has entered this
year into an administrative partnership
with UNM Hillel under the guidance
of Dr. Sara Koplik, JFNM’s Director
of Community Outreach. Hillel now
offers regular programs and speakers
for an energized student population.
Also on campus, JFNM support
for the UNM Israel Alliance funds
Israel advocacy speakers and programs.
Statewide, we’re going deep with
our outreach: with JFNM funding,
the Las Vegas Jewish Community
(LVJC) is receiving ongoing programming/administrative
assistance
under the guidance of JFNM Leadership
program participant Maggid
Ya’el Chaikind.
And to help our rabbi-less communities
grow and become stronger,
JFNM will present Rabbi Stephen
Landau’s visits to Congregation B’nai
Israel in Roswell on Friday, April 1
and Saturday, April 2 and Temple
Beth El in Carlsbad on Sunday, April
3. A Shabbat program with Landau at
the Taos Jewish Center is also being
planned.
As featured in last month’s Link,
JFNM funding made it possible for the
Keshet Dance Company to perform
Ani Ma’amin in Las Cruces
In Israel, the Nitzana Rural Educational
Community & Youth Futures
Program in the Negev desert is now
receiving JFNM support for their
science and technology program, and
Creativity for Peace has JFNM underwriting
for their extraordinary Israel-
Palestine coexistence program.
We’ve also led the statewide Israel
Forest Fire Disaster Relief Fund fundraising
efforts, raising more than
$13,000 to assist those affected by the
devastating Carmel Mountain region
fires. And thanks to our ongoing partnership
with Son Broadcasting/Christians
United for Israel, the Jan. 11
“Night to Honor Israel” event raised
$8,000 to benefit Ben Yakir Youth
Aliyah Village in Hadera.
To respond to local Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions activities
aimed against Israel’s right to exist,
JFNM has convened the New Mexico
Israel Action Network, chaired by Dr.
Todd Goldblum. Our executive director,
Sam Sokolove, has been particularly
visible on this issue, with his
advocacy efforts generating valuable
attention in venues ranging from Al
Jazeera and the Albuquerque Journal.
We continue to administer New Mexico’s
Israel advocacy website, nmisrael.
org, and over the last few months we’ve
brought to New Mexico speakers Dani
Ben-David of the Taub Center and the
advocacy speaker Neil Lazarus.
We also help young Jews get
to Israel through our Israel Experience
Fund, and we helped underwrite
Mayor Richard Berry’s trip to Israel
last month to participate in a renewable
energy and water sustainability
conference.
We feel as though the continuing
development of the New Mexico-
Israel Business Exchange with Chair
Robert Efroymson has tremendous
potential to broker economic opportunities
between Israel and New
Mexico.
We’re also excited about our new
partnership with JerusalemOnlineU.
com for a Tuesday, May 10 Israel Independence
Day advocacy event at the
Albuquerque JCC, as well as to our
forthcoming community-wide Israel
education program for Jewish youth.
We also just received a grant from
Jewish Council for Public Affairs to
work with Albuquerque Interfaith to
engage Jewish involvement in Workforce
Development. I will report more
on that soon.
As always, JFNM works with
our elected officials to communicate
matters of importance to the Jewish
community such as Israel’s security
and the availability of federal funding
for local agency and synagogue security
enhancement.
And of course, the JFNM-published
New Mexico Jewish Link
remains our primary vehicle for
keeping community members in the
know, stimulating dialogue and building
links among Jews from one end of
the state to another.
We do all of this with a small
staff — just two full-time employees
on a lean administrative budget that
our Finance Committee and Board
of Directors are continually stewarding.
We’ve also begun working this
winter with Phil Messuri and Financial
Network Investment Corporation
on protecting and conservatively
growing JFNM investments.
And here’s what you’ve been
doing: as of this writing, the overall
2011 campaign is nearing $600,000.
That’s an impressive number, but our
goal is to hit $800,000 by June of this
year, and $1,000,000 the year after.
These aren’t just arbitrarily picked
numbers: with more Jews come more
needs, especially in the realm of social
services and Jewish education. Your
support is what keeps the miracle of
Jewish New Mexico alive and thriving
both for the present and for future
generations to come.
Oñate would have been
appalled!
If you haven’t yet made your commitment
to the 2011 Annual Campaign,
give us a call at 505-348-4458
or visit our website: www.jewishnewmexico.org.
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
505-821-3214
Jewish Community Endowment
Foundation of New Mexico Chair
Erik Rimson presents Andrew
Gans, endowment representative of
the Solomon Schechter Day School
of Albuquerque, with a potted plant
to celebrate Tu Bishvat and SSDS’s
selection to participate in the prestigious
Areivim Legacy Community
Project, a partnership with the
Jewish Community Foundation of
Southern Arizona (JCF) to build
the SSDS endowment.

16 The New Mexico Jewish Link A Se rv i c e o f t h e Je w i s h Fe d e r at i o n o f Ne w Me x i c o March 2011
Yad B’ Yad Makes
Donation to Yad Vashem
The JCC is proud to announce the JCC
2011 Days of the Stars Event
Featuring
Earth, Wind
& Fire
Tuesday, May 24 at Sandia Resort Amphitheater
Tickets on sale now at the
JCC & Ticketmaster.
JCC Golf Tournment
Monday, May 23rd at Sandia Resort Golf Club
For info and sponsorship opportunities for
the Days of the Stars event please
contact Jay Jacobs at 505-348-4449.
JCC of Greater Albuquerque
5520 Wyoming Blvd. NE (between Academy & Spain)
The JCC is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of New Mexico
Yad B’Yad’s Feb. 17 program featured Dr. Susanna Kokkonen, director
of the Yad Vashem Christian Friends Desk. Host Susie Sandager
(left) presented Kokkonen with a donation from Yad B’Yad to underwrite
care of a tree in the Avenue of the Righteous Among the
Nations. Kokkonen delighted the group with a surprise announcement.
The donation would go to caring for the tree honoring Corrie
ten Boom, recognizing Sandager’s acclaimed dramatic production
“Corrie Remembers.”
ISRAEL from page 12
and other Middle Eastern countries.
While acknowledging the possibility
of Egypt coming under the rule of the
Muslim Brotherhood and eventually
attacking Israel, he said that nobody
can be sure of what will happen in
Egypt. It’s in the hands of the Egyptians,
and Israel is ready for any eventuality.
While Israel monitors the situation
closely, Israelis are not afraid
of Egypt, contrary to news reports.
Arabs are the “cousins” of Jews,
and Fleisher stressed that he has
respect for Arabs and has seen that
good relations between Arabs and
Jews are possible and not uncommon
in many parts of Israel.
However, Fleisher stated that
accommodation of Arab demands
against Israel has been the wrong
approach and will not bring peace
in the Middle East. Fleisher pointed
out that in the Middle East it is a
common thing for one person to test
and claim something that belongs to
another. The proper response is to
refuse the claim.
“When Israelis are willing to
give up their land in order not to be
attacked, they are signaling that the
land does not belong to them, and
they lose respect among Arabs and
invite more aggression and claims
against their land, Fleisher explained.
“It’s like a man being willing to give
up his wife to a stranger who demands
to have her. The proper response is
‘no,’ not a willingness to negotiate.”
Fleisher gave an outline of Jewish
and Mid-Eastern history from the
Babylonian exile through today. Many
didn’t realize that starting in the 16th
century, there was a movement by
both Sephardi and Ashkenazi Jews
to move back to Israel and resettle it,
300 years before the Zionist movement
began. In the meantime, there
was never a time when there were no
Jews in Israel, although the Jewish
population increased and decreased
depending on conditions in Israel.
While Israel had been conquered
by many groups throughout history,
they ruled from outside, and none
claimed Jerusalem as a capital or
called themselves natives of Israel.
No other people have a superior historic
or legal claim to Israel, including
the Arabs who now call themselves
Palestinians, Fleisher explained.
From the point of view of international
law, the first and last legal
adjudication of the Jewish claim to
Palestine was in 1920 by at the San
Remo Conference, where it was ruled
that Israel is the ancestral home of the
Jews. As such, Israel was allocated as
the national homeland for Jews.
After Jordan was split off for
the Arab people, on the east side
of the Jordan River, all of the land
west of the Jordan River remained
as the Jewish homeland. The various
U.N. resolutions suggesting divisions
within Israel are non-binding. The
U.N. does not have the power to
establish national boundaries.
Israel’s independence and sovereignty
were derived from the same
source and law as that of the surrounding
nations. If that law is insufficient
to establish Israel’s legitimacy
as a nation, then Iraq, Syria, Lebanon,
Jordan and Turkey are equally illegitimate.
According to Fleisher, the logical
next step based on that assessment,
is for Israel to annex all of Judea
and Samaria, and leave no territory
as disputed “no man’s land.” Arabs
living there would have the status of
permanent residents of Israel, but not
automatic citizenship. A pathway to
full citizenship would be open for
those Arabs who desired it.
This is the normal arrangement
for western nations, and more liberal
than many. In many nations, only
members of the national ethnic group
may become citizens (i.e. Japan,
Saudi Arabia China). Those restrictions
are not considered inhumane or
apartheid under international law. It
is the privilege of sovereign nations
to determine who may be citizens of
the nation.