New Mexico Jewish Historical Society

New Mexico

Jewish Historical Society Volume 20, No. 1March 2006

Address: New Mexico JewishHistorical Society5520 Wyoming Blvd. NEAlbuquerque, NM 87109

Telephone: (505) 348-4471Fax: (505) 821-3351website: www.nmjewishhistory.orgemail: [email protected]

Administrator: Bobbi JacksonOffice Hours: Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday

9:00-2:00 pmManaging Editor: Bobbi Jackson

If you have any news or announcementsof interest to our membership, pleasesend it to the above address. Thank you.

INSIDE THIS ISSUEVideo History Project Celebration..............1

President’s Message.....................................2

Genealogy Corner.....................................3

Exploring Your Jewish Roots.......................5

Harold Melnick Biography ........................6

Rabbi Helman Tribute ............................9

Earp/Jaffa Connection ..............................11

Upcoming Events .....................................12

n Sunday, March 5th, wecelebrated and presentedthe results of an unprec-edented four-year study ofthe untold role of JewishPioneers in the develop-

ment of the multi-ethnic State of NewMexico from 1850 to 1920. Thirteen book-lets that relate the stories of these pioneerfamilies were unveiled and made available forpurchase. Approximately 150 people,including many Jewish Pioneer descendants,joined us at the Ronald Gardenswartz Jew-ish Community Center.

This groundbreaking work, a joint effort ofthe NMJHS and the University of NewMexico History Department and Center forRegional Studies, began in 2002 with 11volunteers assigned to research thirteen NewMexico pioneer families. In addition to re-leasing the booklets, the NMJHS honoredthe work of these dedicated volunteers.

“I am thrilled to see the completion of thislengthy study,” said Project Director LisaWitt, owner of Avista Video Histories. SinceI have a personal and professional interest in

NMJHS Celebrates Release of Seminal Booklets on 13 Pioneer Jewish Families:March 5th Reception at Jewish Community Center

helping people preserve their family stories, itwas so gratifying and fascinating to uncoverinformation about people who played such an

enormous part in the history of New Mexico.These are stories most people don’t knowabout, even people in the Jewish community.”

Accompanied by professional videographersfrom Avista Video Histories, project volunteersinterviewed almost three-dozen second and

third generation members of the Seligman,Ilfeld-Nordhaus, Herzstein, Goldsmith, Ravel,Taichert, Spiegelberg, Wertheim (bothCarlsbad and Ft. Sumner), Freudenthal-Lesinsky-Solomon, Gusdorf, Danoff, andMoise families.

The Jewish Pioneer families were selected basedupon specific criteria: they arrived in NewMexico in the middle part of the 19th centurythrough World War I; they made significanteconomic, political or other contributions tothe state; their descendants still reside in New

Mexico; and they were willing to make a rep-resentative available to serve as a liaison to theproject team.

Before starting their assignments,the volunteers received about 25hours of training over an 8-weekperiod from UNM ProfessorsNoel Pugach and Durwood Ball;Jewish Pioneer scholar Henry J.Tobias; Rose Diaz, Program Man-ager, UNM Libraries, Political Ar-chives; and Lisa Witt. The subjectscovered in the training includedNew Mexico, American Jewishand New Mexico Jewish history,and methods of doing historicalresearch and conducting inter-views. Archivist Judy Basen

Weinreb developed the initial concept andgrant proposals (with Lisa Witt) and guidedthe archival part of the project.

The taped interviews, transcripts, digitizedphotographs, booklets and booklet templateswill be made available to researchers at the NewMexico State Records Center and Archives(NMJHS Collection) and at the UNM Centerfor Southwest Research. Booklet sets will alsobe distributed to other libraries, museums andarchives having an interest in the Jewish Pio-neer topic throughout New Mexico and na-

Oby Jane Blume and Lisa Witt

Continued on p. 4

Jewish Pioneer Volunteer Group Honored March 5th(L toR): NaomiSandweiss, Peter Tannen, Project Director Lisa Witt, President, AvistaVideo Histories, Paula Steinberg, Gail Jamin, Richard Deutsch, PaulaSchwartz, Barbara Weinbaum, Vivian Skadron and Anita Miller(Not pictured Steven P. Kesselman). Photo by Susan Johnson.

JEWISH PIONEER BOOKLETSFOR SALE

To order any, or all, of the 13 booklets compiledon the “Pioneer Jews of New Mexico”, contact theNew Mexico Jewish Historical Society at 505-348-4471 or [email protected]. The book-lets are fascinating to read and are also a fundraiserfor the NMJHS which enables the Society to pur-sue further work on Pioneer Jewish Families.

New Mexico Jewish Historical Society

Page 2

Message From The President

Tby Lance Bell

he New Mexico JewishHistorical Society board isplanning for a successful2006. In my President’sMessage, I would like toecho the Center for Jew-

ish History’s mission of EDUCATE, PRE-SERVE and RESEARCH. With our on-going activities and programming, we hopeto do just that.

PRESERVE:We are fortunate to have an arrangementwith the New Mexico State Records Centerand Archives to house all the Society’s ar-chival treasures in Santa Fe. Many otherstate Jewish historical societies want to emu-late the relationship we have established andhave reached out to us for help in doingso. We have succeeded in preserving manyNew Mexico Jewish historical treasures atthe Archives. Our synergistic relationshipwith the State Record Center and Archivescan best be understood by reviewing the richfinding aid that will lead history seekers toour state’s Jewish past. We will be happy toe-mail you a copy of this finding aid if youcontact our office. We are actively pursu-ing the acquisition of more items for ourarchives and we need your help in securingthem before they are lost, destroyed, ortossed out as being insignificant.

RESEARCH:Much of the research that has been doneregarding Jews of New Mexico comes fromcurrent and past board members. There aretwo recently published books that focus onNew Mexico Jewish history. One is basedon the research of European Jewish immi-grants to New Mexico in the nineteenth

century and just last year, another study thatfocuses on the unique and fascinating crypto-Jewish experience. In addition, the Society’sVideo History Project has produced thirteenfascinating booklets on Jewish families whocame to New Mexico before it was a state.These book-lets, which of-fer personalinsights intothe familieswho helpedshape NewMexico’s po-litical and so-cioeconomichistory, wereunveiled to thepublic onMarch 5th atthe JCC.

EDUCATE:We have ongoing educational program com-mittees working on our core programs, suchas our annual membership meeting, wherewe will again screen a film based on a Jewishhistorical theme. We will continue our com-mitment to maintain the CongregationMontefiore Cemetery with our annual clean-up in Las Vegas, which is scheduled for May7th. Our largest public fund raiser is theLabor Day weekend Book Sale in Santa Fe.Following this event, the fall Annual Con-ference will cover a topic of interest to ourdiverse membership. In addition to theseregularly scheduled events, we plan to showmore films on Jewish history throughout theyear.

As for the thirteen pioneer booklets that Imentioned above, ourgoal is to share this in-formation with all thelibraries and learninginstitutions through-out the state. We maydevelop a curriculumin coordination withthe public schools, sothat students in NewMexico will have theopportunity to learn

of the important contributions that JewishNew Mexicans have made to the Land of En-chantment. I still meet people who ask, “arethere Jews in New Mexico?”

For our members who have expressed an in-terest in exploring their own family history,they will have an opportunity to participatein a series of genealogy workshops that willoccur, first in Taos on March 19th and thenin Albuquerque on April 23rd. A Santa Feworkshop is planned for September. Theseprograms will help those searching for theirSephardic and Ashkenazi roots. After all, ge-nealogy is history from the perspective offamilies, wherever their roots lie, in NewMexico, the Americas, or the Old World.

Volunteer Opportunities:As you read this issue of the New MexicoJewish Historical Society newsletter, I wantto thank those who recently renewed theirmemberships, made donations and pur-chased ads. I take this opportunity to askfor your continued support so that we cancontinue to achieve our goal of studying therich and diverse Jewish history that our stateand its wonderful people continue to offer.

Sincerely,Lance Bell

80 E. San Francisco St.Santa Fe, NM 87501(505) 820-6304Fax (505) 820-2220

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Page 3

Continued on p. 7

If you have reason to believethat your ancestors came tothe United States via thePort of New York between1892 and 1924, you are for-tunate because you can

search for them on the Internet.

Genealogical research became considerablyeasier when relevant databases started goingonline a few years ago. In the old days gene-alogists wrote for information and often waitedmonths before their queries were answered. Thereply could reveal an important piece of infor-mation or the fact that no record was found.Since the advent of the Internet, genealogy hasbeen transformed. The search still requires theinstincts of Sherlock Holmes, but the resultsin many instances are at your fingertips.

When the Ellis Island Database came onlinein April 2001, it was deluged with requests.The designers were totally unprepared for thevolume of traffic it received from the very firstday of operation. The system crashed underthe load and had to be taken offline until moreservers could be added. No wonder the demandwas so high. A searchable database of over 22million passengers and crew of the ships thatlanded at the Port of New York, the first of itskind to go online, was bound to attract theattention of the burgeoning ranks of genealo-gists searching for their roots.

The Ellis Island Database was created by thou-sands of Mormon volunteers, over a 7-yearperiod, from microfilms and photocopies thatthey purchased from the U.S. National Ar-chives. It was a daunting task, with challengesof deciphering handwriting, coping with un-familiar languages, and interpreting the flawsin the photocopied images. The resulting da-tabase, which was given to the National ParkService and is free to the public, accounts forapproximately 71% of all U.S. immigration

Genealogy Corner – Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor in the Ellis Island Databaseby Dorothy Corner Amsden

records.

You may wish to give it a try, just to see if youcan find a member of your family who immi-grated through New York a hundred years ago.When the home page for Ellis Island[1] appearson your screen, it provides a place for you totype the first and last name of your ancestor,approximate year of birth, and gender. Enteryour best guess to get started. Then click on StartSearch. A screen showing one or more possiblerecords will be displayed. Click on a record thatseems plausible. A certificate format will appearwith the name and related information of theperson you selected. If the age and nationalityindicate that this may be the right person, youcan view a copy of the ship's handwritten mani-fest right away, online, which contains even moreinformation, including other people your ances-tor may have been traveling with.

This manifest was prepared by the shipping com-pany at the port of embarkation, not the Port ofNew York. This is important to understand, be-cause the names appear as the emigrants toldthem to the authorities in Europe. Passenger listsare rife with misspellings, but the names are theones the emigrants left Europe with, not newAmericanized names that many assumed afterarriving in the United States.

If you are lucky, you will find who you are look-ing for on the first or second try. However, ifyou are like me, you won't find what you want,even though you know the name must be there.For example, I knew my maternal grandmother,Dora Sajovitz, had come through Ellis Islandduring the time span covered by the database,but I could not find her record.

My cousin Ann, another of Dora's granddaugh-ters, eventually managed to find the record,though I am still wondering how she did it. Thereit is, the typewritten synopsis appears on myscreen for the first time. I feel a moment of awe

and then elation. Then I click to viewthe ship's manifest. An image appears ofa handwritten sheet for steerage passen-gers. Dora's name is on line 15 of page142 with related information that ex-tends onto a second sheet. Don't forgetto also look at the second sheet – that iswhere you learn who your immigrant an-cestor is going to. The last name is spelleddifferently than I had imagined,Schajovits. Later I will learn that in Hun-gary the spelling is Sajovic.

The manifest states that Dora is a HungarianHebrew from Y. Ujfalu, Hungary, who arrivedon July 19, 1909, on the Vanderland fromAntwerp at the age of 16 and a half. Other in-formation states her occupation (seamstress),height (4 feet 10 inches), name and address ofher closest relative in the country where she lived,her father Lajos Schajovits, whose address in in-decipherable. The manifest also states the nameand address of the person she is going to in theUnited States, her uncle Solomon Schreiber at522 West 147 Street in Manhattan, the personwho paid her passage, although that is not clearfrom the manifest.

In the excitement of finding your ancestor, be-ware. Many immigrants had the same name withslight variations in spelling. How do you knowyou have the right person? Check the age andthe names of the other family members. Youwant to be sure this is the right person. Evaluatethe remaining information. The arrival date isprobably accurate. The spelling of the name canbe just about anything that sounds right, as wehave seen in Dora's case. The port of embarka-tion is probably correct as is the ship's name,except that in this case the Vanderland is just adata entry misspelling of Vaderland, Fatherland,which I verified by checking a database of shipsarriving in the Port of New York on July 19,1909. Five years later, when I look at Dora'srecord again, I notice that the misspelling hasbeen corrected.

If you want to see what the ship looked like, youcan click on "view image" and the database willdisplay a photo of the ship along with a historyof its service. Dora's ship, a real hulk judgingfrom the photo, was built in 1900 and sailedbetween New York and Antwerp for the Red StarLine. She didn't want to talk about her voyagein steerage, according to my mother, except tosay that it was dreadful.

Dora's age, as stated on the manifest, is incor-rect, as I know from other documents, in par-ticular, her marriage certificate. Dora was just12 years old in 1909. She was traveling withouther family. Most likely, she would not have beenallowed on board alone at her tender age, thusshe added a few years. Relatives said she wasmature for her age, so the authorities didn't ques-tion it. Looking carefully at the manifest, I seetwo other young women from Y. Ujfalu. Mostlikely Dora was traveling with them.

I


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tionally.

“We expect this body of work will be of in-terest to many students of American JewishHistory,” Professor Pugach said. Witt saysthat she has already re-ceived an inquiry fromDavid Grubin Produc-tions in New York City,which is producingdocumentary seriesabout the 350-year his-tory of Jews in Americain cooperation with theJewish Television Net-work and public televi-sion stations WETA inWashington andWNET in New York.

It was generally known that Jewish settlers,primarily (but not exclusively) from Ger-many, were an integral part of life in 19th-century New Mexico, as merchants, bank-ers, miners, ranchers, soldiers and politicians.However, our study of the Pioneer Familieshas yielded many sig-nificant findings. Welearned that the geo-graphical reach of Jew-ish settlement and eco-nomic activity wasgreater and broaderthan earlier studieshave indicated. Jewishpioneers settled all overNew Mexico, fromTaos to Carlsbad.Some of the placeswhere they lived aretruly obscure, and insome cases they are nolonger inhabited. For example, theWertheims of Ft. Sumner catered to theneeds of miners in Porter. Nathan Weil cre-ated a little empire in Ocate, and the

Vorenbergs established themselves in WagonMound.

During the territorial period of New Mexicofollowing the U.S. conquest, Jewish merchants

were critical players inthe nascent New Mexicoeconomy, particularly inrural communities, andtheir influence carriedwell into the twentiethcentury. The operationof their shops and storesalmost single-handedlykept some small townsand isolated hamlets onthe map. The merchantsalso learned Spanish andvarious Indian languagesso they could communi-

cate effectively with their customers.

The Jewish merchants were also innovative anddaring in their mercantile enterprises. Severalof them made the transition from retailing towholesaling, often combining the two; some

also added freighting totheir enterprises. InClayton, SimonHerzstein recognizedthat World War I washastening the accept-ance of manufacturedclothing. Consequently,he opened Herzstein’sReady to Wear, whichcarried such namebrands as Stetson, Justinand Levi Strauss. Othermerchants diversifiedinto cattle ranching,sheep raising and the

hide trade.

In the process of earning a living, these pio-

Video History Project – continued from p. 1

TRIBUTEIn Memory of My Parents

Cecil and June CornerDorothy Corner Amsden

IN MEMORYNMJHS would like to extend our sympathy to the

Ballen family.

Continued on p. 10

Joseph Wertheim,Tucumcari, New Mexico, c 1907

Siegfried Seligman, Teddy Roosevelt andNew Mexico Representatives to the BullMoose Party, 1912

A discussion on the Seligman family with (left to right)Volunteer Paula Schwartz, Pioneers Randy Seligmanand Julia Seligman and daughter (back row) andNMJHS Board Member Deborah Seligman with LisaWitt of Avista Video Histories, Project Director, atMarch 5th event. Photo by Susan Johnson.

Page 5


DEBORAH S. SELIGMANATTORNEY AT LAW

320 GOLD AVE. SW, SUITE 1221ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87102

PO Box 7806ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87194

PHONE (505) 247-3030

FAX (505) 247-3165

anta Fe resident SteveGitomer has beenresearching his familytree for well over 20years. At the drop of ahat, he can expound on

how he found his “cousins” with thefamily name Zhitomirsky in Ukraineand traced some of his roots back to theirlittle town of Lubny, which is locatednear Kiev, where his paternal grandfatherwas born in 1895. Steve has had theopportunity to visit this ancestral village,meet distant relatives, and see grave sites,buildings, and the village’s memorial tothe Jews killed there by the Nazis inWWII.

“Genealogy is a thoroughly absorbinghobby,” says Steve, whose frequentbusiness trips to areas where his ancestorscame from aid in his research. He hasbeen able to trace many of his familymembers “back into the mists of time”,using many resources, such as the U.S.National Archives, the Family HistoryLibrary of the LDS Church (Mormons),state and local vital records offices, andpublic libraries. “New branches of myfamily appear from time to time,” as theresearch digs deeper.

“Family lore,” Steve says, “is one of theareas you don’t want to ignore.” Thelegends, some parts of which are true andsome embellished, are fascinating andcan lead to unexpected discoveries. Stevetells that one story, in his wife’s family,relates to the emigration of hergrandparents from Belarus and

Exploring Your Jewish Roots

Lithuania via Leeds, England, in the late1800s.

The story goes, when Grandfather arrivedin America, he asked in Yiddish “Vo ehBoston?” (Where is Boston). He wasanswered, “Eh Boston?” (Here is Boston).Putting two and two together, and siftingthrough the microfilm collection ofpassenger arrival records at the Port ofBoston, sure enough, Steve found thelisting for Abraham Joseph, wife Bessie,and baby daughter Hilda arriving bysteamship in May 1890. Thanks to thefamily story, which pointed to a port ofarrival, documentation of the relatives’first steps in America came to light.

Originally from the East Coast, Steve andhis wife Joyce have lived in Santa Fe forover 25 years. Steve retired from LosAlamos National Laboratory in 2005, butinstead of relaxing and doing more familyresearch, he is busy consulting. Thisrequires extensive travel to the FormerSoviet Union where sometimes, he canvisit ancestral towns.

Steve is a long-time member of the NewMexico Jewish Historical Society. Overthe years, he has given numerousprograms on Jewish genealogy. In the pastyear, the NMJHS board of directors hasdecided to officially broaden the society’smission to embrace Jewish genealogy toserve people who choose to live in NewMexico, but whose Jewish roots lieelsewhere.

Jewish genealogy is flourishing

throughout the United States and all overthe world, as people search out their familyroots. New Mexico has its share ofgenealogists, but they work withoutbenefit of a network close at hand. Ofcourse, there are online discussion groupson JewishGen, but sometimes a researcherneeds local support to figure out where togo next.

Genealogists researching their Jewish rootslive in Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Albuquerque,Las Cruces, and elsewhere in New Mexico.These are people who do not yet knowone another, but who share a commoninterest, or should we say, passion.NMJHS hopes to draw practicinggenealogists to conferences and workshopsin the future, so they can network withone another and also become involved intraining new generations of genealogists.

If you have been thinking about gettingstarted in genealogy or have already donea little research, NMJHS invites you toattend a Sunday afternoon workshop inAlbuquerque on April 23. The workshopwill take place from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. atthe UNM Conference Center, 1634University Blvd NE, North BuildingRoom G. For further information, contactNMJHS at 505-348-4471 or e- [email protected].

We can’t promise that Steve Gitomer willbe at the workshop. He may be off in somefar-flung country. But you will findengaging speakers, an onlinedemonstration of the Ellis Island

Continued on p. 6

SBy Dorothy Corner Amsden


Page 6

Database, and hands-on exercises foryou to see just how much you knowabout your own family. Notedhistorian and author, Dr. StanleyHordes, will conduct a workshop forNew Mexico Hispanos who wish tolearn more about hidden Jewish roots.

Exploring – continued from p. 5

Meet Our Board – This Month’s Profile is Harold Melnick

Dorothy Amsden, advocate for a Jewishgenealogy network in New Mexico, willlead a parallel workshop for those whowish to learn more about theirAshkenazi or non-New MexicoSephardic roots. You don’t want to missthis opportunity.

Another genealogy workshop is planned forearly September in Santa Fe if you cannotattend the Albuquerque event. NMJHSplans to alternate genealogy programsbetween the two cities. For furtherinformation, consult the NMJHS web siteat http://www.nmjewishhistory.org.

Harold Melnick

Pioneer Booklets Available for Immediate Purchase:

Booklets available for $15.00 each or $150.00 for set of 13For postage: $2.00/per booklet or $10.00/setCall 505-348-4471 or e-mail:[email protected] to order byCash, Check or Credit Card (Master Card or Visa only)

Danoff SeligmanFreudenthal-Lesinsky-Solomon TaichertGoldsmith Wertheim-Ft. SumnerGusdorf Wertheim-Vorenberg (Carlsbad)Herzstein MoiseIlfeld-Nordhaus RavelSpiegelberg

Page 7


The Ellis Island Database is one of the majoronline resources available to genealogists forfinding family members. However, it does havesome drawbacks. You cannot search for peopleby ethnicity nor can you find challenging sur-names. The Ellis Island Database uses the U.S.National Archives soundex indexing system(which we discussed in the previous Geneal-ogy Corner) to display last names that are simi-lar to the one you requested, but that systemdoes not work particularly well for Slavic andYiddish names, or Hungarian, for that matter.

Stephen P. Morse came to the rescue. A retiredelectrical engineer, Dr. Morse is best known asthe architect of the Intel 8086, the granddaddyof today's pentium processor. As he started re-searching his own family tree, he realized thata more flexible search engine could make theEllis Island Database even more accessible, andhe ended up designing a genealogist-friendlyinterface to the Ellis Island database. He didn'tstop there, but designed tools for searchingCastle Garden (which preceded Ellis Island),and other ports, such as Boston, Baltimore, andGalveston. He also designed tools for access-ing the U.S. and Canadian census. These ac-complishments are but a few of the search toolsavailable on his website.[2] Thus, if you wantto improve your chances of finding your an-cestor on the Ellis Island Database, try usingthe Morse website, as a starting point.

If we look for Dora via the Morse website wefind several useful options available to us thatdo not appear on the Ellis Island website. Forexample, we can opt to use the Blue Form,

Searching for Jewish Passengers in the Ellis Is-land Database in One Step. We enter "Dora"and click the box that says "starts with or is"and then enter "Sajovitz" and click the box thatsays "sounds like". The search engine gives us achoice of looking through all the names thatsound like Sajovitz, which can take 6 minutes,or just the names that start with S. I happen toknow that her surname started with an S, so Itell it to search only names starting with S. Andvoilà, a reference appears. We've found the rightperson. Click on "view record" and we are intothe Ellis Island Database with Dora's record dis-played within the standard certificate frame. It'sa miracle.

Part of the miracle is that the Morse search en-gine uses the Daitch-Mokotoff soundex system,

which deals with those difficult names that thestandard soundex system does not handle well.To give my cousin credit, she found Dora be-fore Stephen Morse put his website online. Tolearn more about the Daitch-Mokotoff soundexsystem, go to the JewishGen website for an ex-planation about the two major soundex index-ing systems.[3]

With such a marvelous tool as the Ellis IslandDatabase for researching our family trees, howcan we resist getting started![1] Ellis Island database, http://www.ellisisland.org/[2] Steve Morse's web site, http://www.stevemorse.org/[3] JewishGen website for soundex, http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/soundex.html

Genealogy – continued from p. 3

The NMJHS WELCOMES the followingNew Members:

IN MEMORYIn memory of Robert Martin – NMJHS Member

IN MEMORYIn memory of Stephen Joseph – NMJHS Member

Rose WandelDr. & Mrs. Leon CohenBarbara FerrellMargaret HollanderRuth MedwiedCarol OlmsteadRobert & Cindy Kahn

David HerzsteinCourtney JacksonRobert HerzsteinMr. & Mrs. Robert NordhausMr. & Mrs. Robert TaichertMarian & Larry GreherRolf & Florence Beier

NAME OUR NEWSLETTERCONTEST

Please submit your name of choice for ourNew Mexico Jewish Historical Society

NewsletterWinner will receive a

1 YEAR COMPLIMENTARYmembership to the Society!

Please email your suggestions to:[email protected] or call 505-348-4471

Instructor: Steve OvitskyDay/Time: Sundays, 3:00-5:00 pmDates: March 19 and April 9From the first Jewish settlement in 1654, our music has been influenced by the Americanexperience and Jews have played an important role in all types of American music. Throughmore than 100 historic and modern recordings, along with rare film and photographs, par-ticipants in this series will experience the breadth and creativity of American Jewish sacredand popular music. Music selections will include examples of Klesmer, Broadway, Holly-wood, Yiddish, Jazz, Rock and Classical Compositions.

Ovitsky has been active in the world of Jewish music since his university days when heconducted concerts of music by Salomone Rossi and was the Ba’al Tokeah and choir directorfor the University of Michigan Hillel Foundation. He is a performer, musical administra-tor, musical arranger and a frequent guest lecturer around the country. Currently, he is theExecutive Director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

For more information, call Congregation Albert, Albuquerque, at 505-883-0306.

350 years of Jewish Music in America

Jane L. KahnAlice KeckAudrey WittMoreyn ColeArlene PagliaSteve MoiseNathan Aronson


Page 8

SUPERSUNDAY

I

JEWISH PIONEERS OF NEW MEXICO, 1821-1917 “Exhibit Tour Schedule”

Jan. 17, 2006- University MuseumApril 15, 2006 New Mexico State University

University Avenue at SolanoLas Cruces, NM

May 1, 2006- Santa Fe Trail Interpretive CenterJuly 31, 2006 Old Colfax County Courthouse

127 Bridge StreetLas Vegas, NM

Sep. 1, 2006- American Jewish Historical SocietyNov. 30, 2006 15 West 16th Street

New York, NY

You can track the exhibition schedule by going towww.trexnm.org, then select “exhibitions” from the purple toolbar, then select “schedule” button on the right of the screen.

feel compelled to com-ment upon the reviewof the conference andalso ask that this com-ment go into the nextnewsletter, perhaps as a

“Letter to the Editor”.

After reading the report of my very good“Haver” Stanley, I think there are somecontrary views as to the happening at thelast conference. No one would disputethat a good controversy makes for a vig-

Letter to the Editor:orous, interesting conference. What con-cerned many of us and not mentionedby Stanley, was the appropriateness andthe nature of the controversy. I was ap-palled that both very left thinking speak-ers used this opportunity to divert fromthe subject upon which they were cho-sen to speak in order to espouse theirvery anti-Israel views. I am sure Stanley,as a thorough and good academician,certainly believes that, were we to have adiscussion on the merits of Israeli mili-tary and foreign policies, that both sides

should be present and represented for afair controversy. Especially when we paidto hear one thing and got another. I dohope, in the future, that speakers will beinformed that they are to adhere to, andspeak on, the specific topic for which theirinvitation was issued. I would have beenjust as upset and I believe would haveStanley, if the Admiral had gone into thevalue of our invasion of Iraq.

Shirley Jacobson

On January 29, theJFGA held their an-nual Super SundayFundraising Event.It was a huge successand the NMJHSplayed an importantrole. We would liketo thank the follow-ing volunteers formaking this event sosuccessful:

Carol Venturini,Nancy Terr, SteveKesselman, JohnnyMaldonado andBobbi Jackson.

WANTED• Your books and other saleable

items to donate

• Your time and talent to volunteerfor the

5th Annual Book SaleYour presence is requested at the sale:

Saturday and SundaySeptember 2 & 3, 10am– 4pm

Free – Everyone is welcome

Wild Oats Community RoomSanta Fe (Cordova Road, just west

of St. Francis Drive)

To donate in Albuquerque,Call Stanley Hordes (in Santa Fe)

505-983-6564

To donate or volunteer in Santa Fe,Call Shirley Jacobson

(Thurs. – Sat., 11:30 a. m. – 5:00 p.m.)505-670-8315

orSheila Gershen

505-988-3143 (leave a message)

Great Idea:Catch Amtrak’s 4 Southwest Chief Train on Saturday, May6th, a scenic 2 hour 50 minute ride from Albuquerque (1 hour45 minutes from Lamy) and stay the night at the historicalPlaza Hotel or the historic El Fidel Hotel. You can help withthe annual Congregation Montefiore Cemetery Luncheon andClean up on May 7th, then carpool back or return on the trainMay 8th.

One way tickets are about $21.00Contact Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245)

Contact the Historic Plaza Hotel in Las Vegasat 505-425-3591/800-328-1882 or

The El Fidel Hotel at 505-425-6761.

A Great way to see New Mexico, have a great time and pro-vide a mitzvah.

Page 9


The NMJHS THANKS the following Contributors:

You make a difference because we cannot survive on membership alone. We apologize ifthere are any errors or omissions in this list. The NMJHS also wishes to thank ALL currentSociety members for their continued support and generosity.

David HerzsteinJudy Basen WeinrebBetsy MessecaMarjorie WeinbergDavid KandelBill Feldman

Margrethe FeldmanSteve MoiseErika RimsonDeborah SeligmanRobert WertheimLeona Hurst

Courtney JacksonDavid BernsteinDr. Adele AltmanMarvin & Sue BearmanTom WolfYetta Bidegain

Governor Bill Richardson Honors Rabbi Leonard A. Helman With His Own Day

WHEREAS, Rabbi Leonard A. Helman has served the people of New Mexico for over 30 years as a spiritual leader, a voice of humane justice,and a beloved entertainer; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Helman came to Santa Fe in 1974, where he was recruited to Temple Beth Shalom, a community that flourishedunder his guidance from 60 to 400 families; and

WHEREAS, in 1983, Rabbi Helman led a project to deliver desperately needed medical and clothing supplies to the Falashas, a persecutedcommunity of Ethiopian Jews; and

WHEREAS, an exceptional legal as well as theological mind, Rabbi Helman offered his expertise and insight to the State as an administrative law judge andattorney with the New Mexico Public Service Commission from his arrival in 1974 until he retired in 1987; and

WHEREAS, although he left the state in 1991 to pursue other work, Rabbi Helman was drawn back to Santa Fe in 1995 and became rabbi of the youngCongregation Beit Tikva; and

WHEREAS, Rabbi Helman offered prayers at the New Mexico State Legislature throughout his tenure with Temple Beth Shalom, and since 1995 has broughtwords of peace and wisdom to the Capitol as Chaplain of the State Senate and House of Representatives; and;

NOW, THEREFORE I, Bill Richardson, Governor of the State of New Mexico, do hereby proclaimFebruary 3, 2006 as:

“Rabbi Leonard A. Helman Day”

throughout the State of New Mexico, and thank Rabbi Helman for continuing to share with the people ofour great state his diverse talents, tremendous generosity and universal compassion.

Attest: Done at the Executive Office this17th day of January, 2006.

Rebecca Vigil-Giron Witness my hand and the Great SealSecretary of State of the Great State of New Mexico

Bill RichardsonGovernor

SAVE THE DATEMontefiore Cemetery

Clean UpLas Vegas, NM

Sunday, May 7, 2006Please help make this a success!

Rabbi Leonard A. Helmanwith Governor Bill Richardson

On December 16, 2005, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz introduced a resolution that calls for President Bush to designate every January as AmericanJewish History Month. This historic legislation, sponsored by Rep. Wasserman Schultz, was introduced with the support of 250 original co-sponsorswith broad bi-partisan support.

American Jewish History Month’s lead Republican co-sponsor is Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) and is the Chairman of the International Relations Commit-tee.

House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) committed to personally contact the President to urge him to proclaim, by Executive Order, January as Ameri-can Jewish History Month, the first to be observed in 2006.

American Jewish History Month would honor the contributions of American Jews to society. Additionally, creation of this month would celebrate thelegacy of the American Jewish experience and the rich cultural heritage of American Jewish communities.

We all know education leads to understanding and American Jewish History Month will educate millions of Americans about the rich culturaltraditions of the Jewish people, whose contributions to medicine, the arts, science and technology have shaped the fabric of American society andglobal history, said Rep. Wasserman Schultz.

American Jewish History Month Introduced in House with 250 Co-Sponsors


Page 10

Jewish Genealogy Workshop Forthe new and experienced

Genealogists• Learn the ropes• Research your family tree• Trace your Ashkenazi/Sephardic heritage• Network with other Jewish genealogists

The New Mexico Jewish Historical Societyannounces a workshop in Jewish genealogy inAlbuquerque on Sunday afternoon, April 23, 2006.

Workshop leaders: Stanley Hordes and Dorothy Amsden

If you are thinking of researching your family roots andwant to get started in genealogy, this is just your ticket. Ifyou have some experience in genealogy and want to learnmore, this is your opportunity to network with fellowresearchers.

Mark your calendar: April 23, 1:30-4:00 pm.

UNM Conference Center, 1634 University Blvd. NE,North Building, Room G

Registration fee before April 14: $10.00 for members/$15.00 for non-members$5.00 extra for walk-ins.

Send your name and a check for the appropriate amount to:

Genealogy WorkshopNew Mexico Jewish Historical Society5520 Wyoming Blvd. NEAlbuquerque, NM 87109

For further information, [email protected] telephone: 505-348-4471

neer families combined efforts and resources to plant and cultivatethe first Jewish communities and institutions in New Mexico. Thefruit of their devotion is the rich, vibrant Jewish society that flour-ishes throughout the state and region today.

The early families never lived lives apart from the majority population;instead, they became active, dedicated members of their communities.They were heavily in-volved in civic affairs,and some occupiedpublic offices, includ-ing Willi Spiegelberg,Mayor of Santa Fe;Henry Jaffa, the firstMayor ofAlbuquerque; andSolomon Bibo, whomarried an Acomawoman and eventuallybecame the only non-native (and Jewish)governor of AcomaPueblo.

While retaining loy-alty to their Jewish faith, the Jewish pioneers generously supported,financially, local churches and local celebrations. One of the most no-table examples is Santa Fe businessman Abraham Staab, who accumu-lated a large fortune as a major supply contractor for the U.S. Armyduring the Civil War, was very close to Archbishop Jean Baptiste Lamyand donated funds to help the beloved cleric build St. Francis Cathe-dral. Staab, and so many like him, have therefore left a rich legacy,which the New Mexico Jewish Video Project has gone far to uncover.

NMJHS expresses warmest appreciation to the Albert and EthelHerzstein Charitable Foundation, The New Mexico Historical RecordsAdvisory Board, the New Mexico Endowment for the Humanities,the Albuquerque Community Foundation and numerous private do-nors and Jewish Pioneer families, who provided funding for the study.

Video History Project – continued from p. 4

Sigmund Herzstein with his American flag, 1912

Rosebud Video ProductionsVideohistory, Family, Individual, Organizational Low production cost – essential documentation

For free consultations Call 505-473-4454e-mail:[email protected]

Prof. Stanley Rosebud RosenDirector Chicago Radical Jewish Elders Videohistory Project

SAVE THE DATEAnnual Membership Meeting

Sunday, June 11, 2006Details forthcoming

The New Mexico Jewish Historical Society is abeneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of

Greater Albuquerque

Thanks to NMJHS volunteers Helen Hordes,Deborah Seligman and Carol Venturini for helping

with the VHP celebration on March 5

WANTED: Las Cruces NMJHS member to help withprogramming in Southern New Mexico. Please call

505-348-4471 or email: [email protected]

1 Caliente Road, Suite ASanta Fe, NM 87508E-Mail: [email protected]

Telephone: (505)466-2090Mobile: (505) 577-7395Fax: (505) 982-6211

Special thanks to Jane Blume,Desert Sky Communications, 294-1976, for public

relations assistance on the Video History Project

Page 11


The NMJHS Board’s Appeal to Its MembersOur continued existence depends on the interest and support of our members. We need your cooperationto interest others to join our Society; we need your help to obtain archive material and your ideas. Weurge you to please renew your membership when due. If you are already a 2006 member, please encourageyour friends and family to join!

We are proud of our accomplishments, but we cannot rest on our laurels. It is your Society – we appreciateyour continued interest and support.Thank you.

A friend or relative? Ask that friendor relative to join the NMJHS!

Every “old” member, please get busyand sign up a “new” member. A

membership to the NMJHS makes agreat and unexpected GIFT!

Know someone whois not a member?

Help us grow!

More to Come in the Next Issue

Henry Jaffa and Wyatt Earp: Wyatt Earp’s Jewish Connection

Was the slur made in reference to Earp stayingat the home of the Jewish businessman Jaffa,or did it strike deeper, into a buddingrelationship between Wyatt Earp and a Jewishwoman, Josephine “Sadie” Marcus? Oteroalludes to the latter when he reports that Jaffalater told him Earp’s woman was a Jewess. (Avisit by Earp and Josephine, in 1884 toAlbuquerque included a stop at Jaffa’s home.While not definitive proof, it also indicates anearlier link to Jaffa.) Holliday may not haveliked Josephine Marcus. He told a Denvernewspaper, in the summer of 1881, that hehad once given money to John Behan’sgirlfriend (was this Josephine Marcus?), leadingto bad feelings on Behan’s part toward him.

Dating the start of the forty-seven year Earp-Marcus relationship is a matter forspeculation. Wyatt and Josephine obfuscatedthe initial period of their long relationship,possibly for good reasons. These includedWyatt’s marriage at that time to MattieBlaylock and Josephine’s wish not to bethought of as a home wrecker, as well asJosephine’s relationship with John Behan(they were living together). No doubt therewas her desire not to be thought of as awoman of loose virtue in those Victoriantimes. Another element that may haveprevented them from being up-front aboutthe Tombstone origins of their life togetheris the rumored, but unproven, allegation thatJosephine worked for a time “on the line” asa prostitute in Tombstone. Researcher CarolMitchell has presented new information onthis matter and continues to research thispossibility.

Author Wm. B. Shilingberg, in his recentbook, Tombstone, A. T., writes that Earp andMarcus first met in the summer of 1881 atSol Israel’s Union News Depot on FourthStreet in Tombstone. When theirrelationship became serious is unknown, butthe Otero Letter appears to hint that by Aprilof 1882, Wyatt and Josephine were an

“item”. It seems unlikely Earp could havebegun a serious relationship in the turmoilfilled days and weeks following the O.K.Corral gunfight. This raises the possibilitythat the relationship had become a courtshipbefore October 26, 1881. Several questionsemerge, then, that merit further research.Was Wyatt Earp already involved withJosephine Earp by April of 1882? Were theyin a serious relationship before the October26, 1881 gunfight in Tombstone near theO.K. Corral? Did this impact upon theTombstone troubles, given Josephine’s earlierrelationship with Earp rival John Behan?Did Josephine Earp assist in bringing Earpto sanctuary in Henry Jaffa’s household?

A clearly angry Albuquerque Morning Journaleditor found out about Earp’s stay in townafter the posse left. The Albuquerque EveningJournal had been given an interview byWyatt Earp in April 1882, when he droppedinto the paper’s office. Earp was hoping toforestall reports of his whereabouts at thattime, in justifiable fear of his life. He gavethe interview with the stipulation that itwould not be printed until the Earp posseleft town. The resulting article was printedin the Evening Journal on May 13, 1882,after the Earp party departed. Earp is notquoted directly in the actual interview,reprinted in Stephens’ Wyatt Earp Speaks.

The Albuquerque Morning Journal, inresponse, had this to say on May 14th:

“At no time in their lives did the Earpdesperadoes call at the Journal office. Theyseem to have consorted with the sandysorehead on the sundown sheet while theyremained in hiding in this city.”

WHO WAS HENRY JAFFA:

Henry Jaffa, the Albuquerque businessmanwho gave shelter to Wyatt Earp, waspresident of the New Albuquerque Board

of Trade at the time of the Earp posse’sAlbuquerque stopover and clearly a man ofinfluence in town. Did Sam Blonger themarshal, or County Sheriff Perfecto Armijo,both mentioned in Otero’s Letter, in concertwith Earp’s Tombstone business friends,connect Earp with Jaffa? Hornung and Robertsraise this possibility. Or was the link made,perhaps with the aid of Wells Fargo or the SantaFe Railroad, as Hornung and Roberts alsospeculate? Why did Earp spend his time insidea home while his compatriots may have stayedin inferior lodgings or camped outside of townin blustery April weather?

Why did Jaffa or others, not shelter the rest ofthe posse? The answer to these riddles may liewith Jaffa’s Jewishness. Josephine “Sadie”Marcus, the woman whom Earp would sooncall his wife and with whom he would live forthe remaining forty- seven years of his life, wasJewish as well.

In the years following the failed 1848 liberalrevolutions in Europe, a large number of Jewsfled Prussia for the United States, seeing theyoung nation as a place where the ideas ofEnlightenment and French Revolution notionswere embraced. These idealists disembarkedin cities like Philadelphia, New York andBaltimore and it was in the latter city, the Jaffasfirst set foot on American soil. With theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroadsupplanting the more arduous Santa Fe Trailas the route to New Mexico, a few hardy andadventurous souls from eastern Jewishcommunities decided to try their luck in thenew settlements of the western territory. Manyset up as merchants on the plazas of burgeoningtowns, doing business with all comers, be theylocal settlers, soldiers from nearby Army posts,or Indian tribes.

Continued from December Newsletter


Page 12

The NMJHS is soliciting historical papers and photographs for inclusion in its archival collectionat the New Mexico Records Center and Archives. For more information, contact The NMJHS at(505) 348-4471 or [email protected].

Name(s)______________________________Address_________________________City__________________State___Zip_____Email address_____________________Phone __________________________

Please make your check payable to:New Mexico Jewish Historical Society

and mail it with this form to:New Mexico Jewish Historical Society5520 Wyoming Blvd. NEAlbuquerque, NM 87109

Membership fees are as follows:

Renewal New Individual $35 Family $50 Senior (55+) $30 Senior Couple $40 Fulltime Student $20 Business $100 Friend $100 or more

2006 Membership Dues

Mission StatementThe mission of the New Mexico Jewish Historical Society is: to promotegreater understanding and knowledge of New Mexico's Jewish history. TheSociety's programs examine the state's Jewish heritage in all its diversity andstrive to present this heritage within a broad cultural context. The Society is asecular organization and solicits the membership and participation of all in-terested people, regardless of religious affiliation.

Calendar of Upcoming Events

NMJHS Board of Directors and OfficersOfficersLance Bell, President - Santa FeNancy Terr, Vice President- AlbuquerqueHarold Melnick, Treasurer - Santa FeSharon Herzog, Corresponding Secretary - Santa FeDirectorsDorothy Corner Amsden, Genealogy Chair, Los AlamosTony Amsden, Los AlamosNorman Budow, Santa FeAlex Cosby, AlbuquerqueSheila Gershen, Santa FeGerald González, Santa FeJulie Gordon, Tucson, AZ

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 1322

ALBUQUERQUE, NM

New Mexico

New Mexico Jewish Historical Society5520 Wyoming Blvd. NEAlbuquerque, NM 87109

Jewish Historical Society

Claire Grossman, Nashua, NHPeter Hess, Santa FeLeona Hurst, Santa FePhil Saltz, Santa FeNaomi Sandweiss, AlbuquerqueDeborah Seligman, AlbuquerqueCarol Venturini, AlbuquerqueMarjorie Weinberg-Berman, Kings Point, NYImmediate Past PresidentStanley Hordes, Ph.D., Santa FeAdministratorBobbi Jackson, Albuquerque

• March 19, 2006, Genealogy Workshop, Taos Jewish Center• April 23, 2006, Genealogy Workshop, UNM• May 7, 2006, Montefiore Cemetery Clean Up, Las Vegas, NM• June 11. 2006, Annual Membership Meeting, TBD

Documents

New Mexico Jewish Historical Society