Here They Helped Build the First Jewish Community Center
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INSIDE Jewish Community Volume 52, Number 2 • Summer 2021/Kaitz 5781 Foundation It’s a pages 10-11 SMALL WORLD Sublime After All Two grade school friends reunite, after years Moments of apart, in the same New Mexico community Calm eorge Skadron and Harold B. Albert are both Jewish In- dianapolis natives. They celebrated their bar-mitzvahs at the Ruckle Street Beth-El Zedeck Synagogue under page 9 Rabbi William Greenfield and attended high school Gtogether at Shortridge High School. Harold and George also lived two doors apart on Park Avenue during the WWII years. For college, they went their separate ways; Harold studied at Indiana University while George went to rival Purdue University, and they both joined their respective Sigma Alpha Mu fraterni- This Year in ty chapters. But it wasn’t until 44 years later, that they reunited across the country in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they helped build the first Jewish Community Center. This year, George and Jerusalem his wife, Vivian, were honored with a community service award in Harold’s name. page 2 “It’s very humbling,” George said. “I have seen the list of people who have won the award in past years and they are spectacular. I am SMALL WORLD continued on page 20 Jewish Organizations Express Shock of Alleged Antisemitic Attack against UNM Student Jewish organizations in New Mexico tions of antisemitism. And, we encourage JFNM is a founding member of the were shocked to learn that a UNM stu- prosecutors to pursue hate crime charges New Mexico Alliance Against Hate dent, Roni Saponar, was attacked in an if the evidence in the case shows that the Crime which is working to promote alleged antisemitic incident at a party on student was attacked by the group be- stronger hate crime law through the leg- May 7. According to the police report, cause of his Jewish identity.” islative process. (For more information the 19-year-old was allegedly targeted The Jewish Federation of New Mex- see page 6.) Lennick stated: “When any due to his Jewish identity and was as- ico’s CEO Rob Lennick stated: “We person in our community is attacked be- saulted by a group of six individuals. He firmly condemn this horrendous attack cause of any aspect of their particular sustained a closed head injury and was of a UNM student – beaten specifically identity – it is an attack on our entire treated at the hospital. because he is Jewish - as we condemn all community. We invite people across our “We are outraged and appalled by hate crime and hate based assaults. No state to join together in condemning this the violent attack against a University one should be subjected to this kind of brutal attack and all hate in all forms.” of New Mexico student and the alleged violence and degradation. We are work- Hillel International, the Jewish stu- antisemitism that prompted the attack,” ing with our partners in law enforcement, dent organization based in Washington said Scott Levin, regional director, ADL the Attorney General’s office, the ADL, D.C., closely monitors social media, and Mountain States Region. “It is abhorrent leadership at University of New Mexico found a post on Facebook describing the that anyone would be attacked simply and Hillel House in bringing the perpe- attack. It immediately alerted Sara Ko- because of who they are. We strongly en- trators to justice and making sure such plik, director of the Aaron David Bram courage law enforcement to fully inves- attacks do not happen in our communi- tigate this assault, including the allega- ty.” ATTACK continued on page 4 Not what to think. Grades 6 - 12 How to think. sandiaprep.org 2 The New Mexico Jewish Link Summer 2021/Kaitz 5781 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S CORNER DogTV, Power Rangers, MobilEye of reference, Jerusalem is mentioned democracy, our Jewish destiny, our driver assistance, snowmaking, the in the Tanach 669 times and Zion, 154 ability to achieve Eban’s “authentic cherry tomato, PlayStation 3, An- times, which helps to illustrate how fulfillment” of our historic covenant swers.com, HP Indigo, Kindle plat- Israel is undeniably at the root of Jew- would be mortally damaged. We are form, fire wall, Windows XP, dental ish consciousness. We need to help a small number within the greater hu- This Year in Jerusalem: laser, ViaDerm, Sambucol, Copaxone ensure that continues for the future. man family, barely half of one percent for MS, PillCam, Asilect for Parkin- Second, Abba Eban refers to, of the world’s population. The exis- Join the Jewish son’s, interferon proteins, prediction “destination.” Israel is our spiritual tence of just this one country in the of quarks, formulation of black holes destination, the place where one can world that can maintain its full Jewish Federation’s Journey entropy, OrCam, Iron Dome, flexible experience the ultimate fullness of religio-cultural essence is paramount By Rabbi Dr. Rob Lennick, stent, and many other discoveries. a Jewish life, immersed in Hebrew, to preserving our future. CEO Jewish Federation Israel is important for the better- where the national holidays are the The most amazing part of Israel is of New Mexico ment of the world. Jewish festivals, where the Bible is simply being there. We are excited to Israel is also essential for the full- constantly alive and its history every- announce that JFNM will be leading a Israel is very much on my mind. est expression of our unique Jewish where around us to be seen and felt. community journey to Israel (assum- It is so ironic that while anti-Zi- moral destiny. In 1975, Abba Eban, Israel is also the safe haven and desti- ing we have the all clear here in the onism continues to foment in many Israel’s leading diplomat of the 20th nation for every Jewish person in the USA and Israel regarding Covid-19), places here in the USA and around the century wrote in the New York Times: world who is under threat. from December 19 to 31, 2021. This world, Israel remains a role model in “Zionism is nothing more - but also Third, Eban speaks of Israel as the will be a wonderful experience for its response to Covid-19, in making nothing less - than the Jewish people’s “instrument” where the Jewish people everyone – individuals, families, first peace and economic alliances with sense of origin and destination in the can seek, “the authentic fulfillment of timers, and veteran visitors. nations across the Arab world, as a land linked eternally with its name. itself.” This expresses so beautifully It will be a terrific opportunity to leader in entrepreneurship, and as It is also the instrument whereby the the essence of Zionism as I under- create special bonds and memories an astounding source of technologi- Rabbi Dr. Rob Lennick Jewish nation seeks an authentic ful- stand it: Israel is the crucible in which within our diverse Jewish communi- cal, scientific and medical discovery. fillment of itself.” the Jewish people play out the sacred ty. There will be no solicitations. We Modern Israel is a marvel! population, Traditional Jews account Among the host of definitions of experiment in creating a society that will meet our Israeli partners and the The state of Israel is also a com- for 38.5%, and the remaining 20.1% Zionism, I find Eban’s statement most reflects both the universal and partic- B’nai Menashe community. We will plicated place with the intersection of are Orthodox/ultra-Orthodox. This poignant. First, he references, “ori- ularistic ethical aspirations expressed have discussions with representatives secular values and traditional Jewish diversity of perspectives about Jewish gin.” We have had an unbroken pres- in our traditions. from the government and journalists. religious authority. It is a parliamenta- law and tradition makes for compli- ence in Israel for nearly 4,000 years, I am reminded of Ahad Ha-Am We will visit the highlights across the ry democracy with a structure similar cated politics, intense public debate many scholars date our origins from (Asher Zvi Hirsch Ginsberg), the country, participate in an archeologi- to Britain, and yet also defined by the and a painstaking process of change. the early second millennium BCE. 19th century Zionist essayist who de- cal dig, share Shabbat in Jerusalem, strong influences of longstanding re- How many unresolved elections has Our ancestors from that place were scribed a future for Israel deriving and be on the go with many other fun ligious hegemony. Some might call it Israel had in recent times? Four elec- initiated into a covenant that led to out of a renaissance leading to the and interesting adventures as we share a bifurcated society with both secular tions without a final outcome in two our emergence as a people and then creation of a creative, democratic, the beauty and wonder of our home- and religious courts, where matters of years, and perhaps a fifth. This is just a nation. Our stories, our Tanach, our diverse religio-cultural Jewish center land. personal status like birth, marriage, one indication of its complexity. religious seasons and celebrations, in Israel. Mordecai Kaplan later envi- The Jewish Federation will hold an divorce, conversion and death are And yet, in spite of, or perhaps be- and many of our Jewish family rituals, sioned Israel as the hub of a wheel – informational meeting about the trip under Orthodox Jewish authority and cause of this societal dynamic tension, are eternally rooted there - in that little driving and inspiring Jewish life in all by Zoom on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 most other matters are driven through Israel is also a hub of renaissance and sliver of geography, about the size of forms everywhere – and essential for at 7 pm.