Jews in New Mexico Since World War II

5: Congregational Growth and Religious Change

| 61 In 1940 a New Mexico Historical Records Survey prepared a “Directory of Churches and Religious Organizations in New Mexico .” Evidence of three Jewish congregations reached the directory ’s researchers: Congregation Montefiore, founded in 1884 in Las Vegas but essentially dormant by 1940; Congregation Albert, founded in 1897 in Albuquerque; and Congregation B’nai Israel, also in Albuquerque, formally organized in 1920 and, unlike the other two Reform institutions, begun with Orthodox intent and gradually turned Conservative as a result of its inability to fulfill the requirements of Orthodoxy.1 Even the simplest comparison of 1940 congregations with those of the year 2000, using the regularly listed religious organizations in the Link at the latter date, displays a growth in their number and variety that would have been inconceivable in 1940. Notices for Albuquerque and vicinity alone carried seven listings, Santa Fe had six, and the rest of New Mexico listed nine more— a total of twenty-two.2 In addition to their urban concentration CHAPTER FIVE Congregational Growth and Religious Change | chapter five 62 therewasalsowidespreadgeographicdispersion.TheprewarJewish merchants had established themselves in every well-populated place and even in many quite thinly peopled locales, only seemingly absent in the northwest corner of the state. It is the growth of urban congregations, however, and the variety of their religious expression that bespeak the major changes that have occurred since World War II. In 1945 Congregation Albert of Albuquerque had been in existence for nearly a half century. It was, without doubt, the oldest functioning Jewish congregation in the state and, despite the difficulties it encountered during the Depression, offered a stable membership, figure 8. Congregation Albert. Courtesy of Israel C. Carmel Archive. congregational growth and religious change | 63 facilities, and a ministerial presence that allowed it to be identified as New Mexico’s premier Jewish institution. This position appeared with particular sharpness in the early postwar years when Jewish numbers began to increase rapidly while the institutional base available to serve them grew at a relatively slow pace. In part, Congregation Albert’s primacy can be measured by the use made of it by Jewish organizations. Up to the early 1940s, B’nai Israel, by comparison, had no permanent location. To accommodate its growth, Congregation Albert built a new temple, its second, in 1950. For a time its facilities enabled it to host the variety of organizations that had existed earlier or were making an appearance— AJWF, youth groups, Hillel, Council of Jewish Women, and the older B’nai B’rith among them.3 Its continuing growth led to the construction of yet another temple in 1984, still in use at the time of writing. The congregation proved especially fortunate in its choice of leaders. The thirty-year career of Rabbi David Shor, from 1948 to 1978, remains unmatched in longevity by any other ministerial career in the history of New Mexico’s Jews. And the congregation became aware of its good fortune early. By 1956 the members eliminated the clause from its constitution calling for a biennial election of a rabbi in favor of awarding him a lifetime contract.4 The city of Albuquerque, too, showed its appreciation of him on the twentyfifth anniversary of his rabbinate in 1973 by proclaiming a Rabbi Shor Day. Upon Rabbi Shor’s retirement in 1978, the congregation turned to Rabbi Paul J. Citrin as his successor. The choice again proved fortunate and his tenure lasted until 1996, when he chose to leave Albuquerque. He proved a strong activist in the stormy issues that | chapter five 64 figure 9. Rabbi David Shor. Courtesy of Israel C. Carmel Archive, Congregation Albert. congregational growth and religious change | 65 arose in the eighties and nineties.5 That only two rabbis led the congregation for forty-eight years was a testament to the stability of the congregation, and their leadership left a mark for the institution and for the Jews of Albuquerque. Rabbi Joseph R. Black, who succeeded Rabbi Citrin, appeared headed for another successful career in the year 2000. The stability and growth of Congregation Albert provides the historian with an excellent perspective by which to measure the religious growth of New Mexico Jewry over the half century that has passed since World War II. Using membership increase as a measuring stick, the congregation offers a picture of steady growth, particularly when observed by decades. In 1944 there were 87 congregants and in 2000, 626...