you mom,z'l. would have a field day. jews were everywhere in the south, and central america,,south america., including what are no the southern border states. the came as anusim conquistadors. just take new mexico as an example: the first mayor of Albuquerque was jewish. ![https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/lookaside/crawler/media/?media_id=10221139541576451]()
Yes, Henry N. Jaffa was the first mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and he was Jewish. A German immigrant, Jaffa was elected on July 4, 1885, when the city was first incorporated, and he was heavily involved in both local business and the early development of the Jewish community in New Mexico.
- Henry N. Jaffa (1846–1901): As a prominent merchant, Jaffa moved to Albuquerque after the railroad arrived, establishing a business and becoming a key civic leader.
- Jewish Community Impact: Beyond his mayoral duties, Jaffa was instrumental in organizing New Mexico's first synagogue.
- Historical Context: Jaffa was part of a wave of Jewish immigrants who contributed to the, business, and civic, development of the New Mexico Territory in the late 19th century.
While other Jewish individuals have likely served in local government throughout Albuquerque's history, Henry N. Jaffa is recognized as the first Jewish mayor.
New Mexico's Jewish history reaches back almost 500 hundred years when some of the early Spanish arrivals by way of Mexico traced their family histories to Spanish and Portuguese Sephardic Jews who became conversos, or "converted" in order to escape the clutches of the Spanish Inquisition. Today, a number of Hispanic descendants are exploring their families' crypto-Jewish roots.
The mid-19th century marked the arrival of European Ashkenazi Jews via the Santa Fe Trail, and they became the leading merchants in the Territory. When the railroad arrived in the 1880s, more Jewish merchants arrived and expanded their business presence throughout New Mexico. The history of New Mexico Jews tells the stories of individuals and organizations who made their mark on all walks of life from business/commerce; ranchers and miners; social organizations; traders with the Navajo and Pueblo reservations; to becoming the first mayor of Albuquerque and first governor of the State. All of them made significant contributions to the Territory and later State, and it is our goal and responsibility to ensure the recognition as well as through educational programming this rich history reaches the public. New Mexico Jewish history, therefore, reflects a blend of both Ashkenazi and Sephardic cultural traditions, a unique feature in U.S. Jewish history.
SHALOM and BLESSINGS:
RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL,retired
WWW.JEWISHSPIRITUALRENEWAL.COM/books
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On Monday, January 26, 2026 at 11:58:28 AM EST, Ellen Zimmerman <ellenmzimm@gmail.com> wrote:
have not. my mother, aleha hashalom, traveled to jewish places all over the world - but not to south america.
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On Mon, Jan 26, 2026 at 11:54 AM RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL <rabbiasegal@aol.com> wrote:
have you ever mean to manaus on the amazon rive in brazil? the jewish x there will knock you out. RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: Rabbi who became a Catholic Saint in Manaus, Brazil
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: Rabbi who became a Catholic Saint in Manaus, Brazil
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL, JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL Rabbi who became a Catholic Saint in Manaus, Brazil ...
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL: Rabbi who became a Catholic Saint in Manaus, Brazil
RABBI ARTHUR SEGAL, JEWISH SPIRITUAL RENEWAL Rabbi who became a Catholic Saint in Manaus, Brazil ...
Rabbi Arthur Segal
Rabbi Arthur Segal's love of people, humanity, and Judaism has him sharing with others "The Wisdom of the Ages" ...
SHALOM and BLESSINGS:RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL,retiredOn Monday, January 26, 2026 at 11:36:03 AM EST, Ellen Zimmerman <ellenmzimm@gmail.com> wrote:I had no idea - thanks for sharing!
Ellen Zimmerman
Vessels of Light, inspirations from a spiritual landscapeSubscribe https://bit.ly/ellenzphoto
SARA BRAUN'S GRAVE AT THE PUBLIC CEMETERY IN PUNTA ARENAS. SAFE TRAVELS!
- Key Historical Figure: Sara Braun (1862–1955), a Latvian-born Jew, became one of Patagonia's most influential businesspeople after fleeing anti-Semitism in the Russian Empire. She donated the portico and walls of the Punta Arenas Municipal Cemetery, a major landmark.
- Jewish Heritage: The Punta Arenas Cemetery contains graves of early settlers, including some with both Jewish and Christian symbols, indicating the presence of Conversos or families that assimilated over generations.
- Modern Context: While the largest concentration of Jews is in Santiago (18,000–20,000 in Chile), Punta Arenas remains a site with, at times, a small Jewish presence or connection, including, historically, a brief, infamous post-WWII appearance by Nazi war criminal Walter Rauff.
- Cultural Legacy: The city's history includes stories of early 20th-century immigrants who, like the Brauns, contributed to the development of the region during the sheep farming boom.
SHALOM and BLESSINGS:RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL,retiredOn Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 04:32:58 PM EST, Lenette Goodman <lynngoodman13@yahoo.com> wrote:
For all you snow shovelers remember to bend your knees and be careful. Don't want any hurt backs.We are now in Chile and tomorrow and the next day we will be sailing around the Chilean fjords.We've seen lots of nature. It has been beautiful.Everybody be safeOn Sunday, January 25, 2026, 5:24 PM, Joan Levey <jlevey10@gmail.com> wrote:
That's a lot of snow. Hope you don't need to go anywhere and are hunkered down. I saw Boston on TV. Even there they can't keep the roads cleared.Lynn, are you still out cruising? Good timing to be out of this weather.Please share with us your snow pictures. I would love to see them.On Sun, Jan 25, 2026 at 2:36 PM Ruth Milesky <rmilesky@verizon.net> wrote:Snow coming down in Greater Boston. Expecting 18-24" and snowing through tomorrow.On Sunday, January 25, 2026, 2:04 PM, Lenette Goodman <lynngoodman13@yahoo.com> wrote:
Beautiful and peaceful !!!!!watch your backs shoveling!!! In New York, my daughter said it's snowing sidewaysOn Sunday, January 25, 2026, 2:51 PM, Rochelle Lepor <rolepor@gmail.com> wrote:
What a beautiful and peaceful photoRoOn Sun, Jan 25, 2026 at 12:50 PM Joan Levey <jlevey10@gmail.com> wrote:I snapped a picture from my door before the snow gets shoveled. I think we got about 6 inches before it started to sleet.On Sun, Jan 25, 2026 at 12:41 PM Stephen Shapiro <steveshapiro@att.net> wrote:Nice memory Joan. I remember when we went the Jr Club went to Glen Echo.On Jan 25, 2026, at 11:00 AM, Joan Levey <jlevey10@gmail.com> wrote:I remember the cousins club. I remember being in a room in the basement and trying to elect officers. Luckily I was the youngest so exempt from the talent show. I do remember the accordion and Lee playing Exodus on the piano.Lee, glad you have found your voice again.On Sun, Jan 25, 2026 at 9:47 AM Lenette Goodman <lynngoodman13@yahoo.com> wrote:Lucky you. Do you remember it or what anybody did.So funny how when i think of some cousins, I think of the talent they shared. I had no talent. It was horrible.On Sunday, January 25, 2026, 11:40 AM, RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL <rabbiasegal@aol.com> wrote:
LEE ,YOU SING WONDERFULLY,' CONTINUED PRAYERS FOR SANDY!!!!!!!!!!!SHALOM and BLESSINGS:RABBI DR ARTHUR SEGAL,retiredOn Sunday, January 25, 2026 at 02:53:04 AM EST, Lee Shapiro <doclee1@gmail.com> wrote:Please, please, use earbuds or headphones unless you have good speakers. As bad as my singing might be under ideal conditions, it's even worse with tinny speakers!!!I could not find a karaoke track for "How Can I Leave You Again" and it is difficult to stay on tune without a music track.As some background, when I was a teen, a group of us got together and sang folk songs. Someone told me that my voice was terrible and I should be a "listener". For the next 50 years or so, I would not sing in front of anyone--not even the Happy Birthday song. In the last ten years, however, I have been brave enough to record songs and share them.So enjoy, or grimace as you listen! And remember--earbuds or headphones!PS: Sandy is still in the hospital. Still no answer as to why her oxygen level drops. It's not terrible while she's lying in bed, but when they had her take a few steps, it dropped to dangerously low levels.--Lee Shapiro
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